


when it comes to us (nothing is quite as beautiful)

by Eoki



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon Universe, F/F, Sanvers - Freeform, Slow Burn, Soulmate-Identifying Timers, Soulmates, j'onn the supportive space dad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-16
Updated: 2017-09-25
Packaged: 2018-09-24 22:11:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 39,966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9789299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eoki/pseuds/Eoki
Summary: “ What do you think of the soulmate clock? “ Alex licks her lips and inquires, placing her interlocked fingers over her abdomen.There’s silence from Maggie, only because she doesn’t know how to reply, but she tries anyway, “ It’s both beautiful and tragic at the same time, don’t you think it’s insane that whether you live or die depends on someone else? “Alex feels a wave of emotions wash over her as she stares up at the twinkling stars, “ It is, it’s not fair too, it just sounds like another form of natural selection to me. ““ You could look at it that way, “ Maggie shifts and turns her neck to look at Alex, “ or you could imagine how great life would be knowing that there’s someone out there who loves you just as much as you love them. ““ What if they don’t want to find you? “ORsanvers soulmate fic based on this prompt : Your clock is a countdown of how long you and your soulmate have left to find each other or else you both will die because the universe is sadistic af—and if you find your soulmate you get to live longer.





	1. chrysalis

**Author's Note:**

> second fic but really i started it bc i wanted to write some angsty shit.  
> decided to make the characters a little younger uhm.  
> enjoy??? thanks for reading :-)  
> edit: the first chapter isnt as good as i'd like it to be but bear with me the chapters after are marginally better

Alex rubs the sleep out of her eyes, just to make sure she isn’t still dreaming. She finally got it, her _soulmate clock_. The little moving timer on her wrist isn’t going anywhere for a while. It isn’t something she is exactly looking forward to, after all, all it reflected is the time of your death, to the exact second. Alex swears that the universe is a sadist as she swings her legs off the bed. She’s had twenty eight years of peace, and it’s all probably going downhill from now on.

 _Hold on_ , she glances at her arm again. The timer that she got seems to be malfunctioning, or so she thinks. It is a widely known fact that most people start off with more than a hundred thousand hours on their clock, anything less than that is unheard of. But for Alex, it’s an entirely different story. The timer on her arm has less than a thousand hours. _Five hundred and four hours to be exact_ , and it’s slowly ticking away. _This has to be some sort of a cruel joke_ , she mutters under her breath as she stares at her arm. She is going to die in five hundred hours, _twenty one days_. The universe is even crueller than she had imagined.

Just then, her door swings open, “ Happy birthday, Alex! “ Kara squeals as she steps into Alex’s room with a small cupcake in hand.

“ Jesus, Kara. “ Alex gasps, and she attempts to hide her arm under the sheets, “ How many times do I have to tell you to use the front door ? “

Her alien sister is always too happy, _too positive_. While Alex, on the other hand, it’s a good day if she didn’t have to yell at anyone.

The Kryptonian sheepishly smiles, “ The windows are a faster way in, Alex, you know that. “

“ Have it your way then. “ the agent sighs, with luck, she’d live to celebrate another birthday.

“I thought you’d be happier, you know, “ Kara motions, “ getting your clock. “ she holds the tiny cupcake with a single candle in her hand.

“ No using your x-ray vision to peek! “ Alex warns as she sees Kara removing her glasses.

The reporter pouts as she places them back on her nose, _that was a close one,_ Alex thinks silently to herself. She decides that she would tell Kara at a later time, she didn’t want her sister to worry about something that’s completely out of their control.

“Oh come on, you know I’m not a fan of the universe and its antics.“ Alex scoffs as she reaches out for the cupcake with her empty arm.

“Wait!“ Kara shouts, as she pulls the cupcake away and watches her sister sternly.

“ What ? “ Alex furrows her brows, biting her lower lip, she panics for a moment thinking that Kara saw her timer with her x-ray vision.

“ You forgot to blow out the candle, silly. “ Kara points out, as if it’s the most obvious thing ever.

Alex shakes her head and smiles at her sister fondly, she leans closer and lets out a soft gust of wind to extinguish the flame.

“ I hope you made a wish, happy birthday to my _favourite_ twenty eight year old sister! “

“ I’m your _only_ sister. “

“ Okay, Agent Danvers, don’t be a wet blanket on your birthday. “

“ Alright, get out, I still need to get to work. “

“ Don’t forget, dinner at my place. “ Kara reminds as she flies out of the now open window in Alex’s room.

Alex stares at the tiny cupcake her sister had gotten her, there’s a big ‘A’ plastered in blue icing. It’s been a yearly Danvers ritual since Kara had landed on Earth, they’d celebrate with a small cupcake. Well, at least after that one year where Alex had spent hours baking a cake for Kara, only to have her accidentally freeze it into a block of ice due to her freeze breath. They decided to stick to cupcakes after that. Smiling fondly at the memory, Alex’s eyes dart to the clock on the wall. _Shit_ , she’s about to be late for work. She leaves her cupcake on the table and grabs her uniform and hurries into the shower.

* * *

 

On her way to the DEO, she munches on the cupcake and ponders. Alex Danvers has always prided herself on being able to remain calm and focused, and denial was just another way to go about it. _Twenty one days_ , she thinks to herself, and her heart will stop beating, just as her soulmate’s would. She weighs her options, and frankly, there weren’t many. She grinds her teeth while her heart clenches, _death_ felt like a distant relative coming for a visit. 

Before long, she finds herself at the entrance of the DEO, her birthday cupcake has been reduced to crumbs on her palm. Alex cleans her palm against her pants and rushes into the building.

“ Morning Alex. “ Winn greets as she studies the various screens.

“ Hey Winn, “ Alex answers as she places her hands on her hips, “ Anything new? “

Winn looks to his screen and presses a few key, “ Uhm … “ , he shakes his head, “ Seems like it might be a slow day today. “

Alex nods, and the alarm starts blaring loudly. She shoots Winn a raised eyebrow as he groans.

“ The universe hates me,“ he mumbles as he begins to furiously type, “ let’s be honest here. “

“ I don’t think the universe likes me very much either. “ Alex mutters under her breath, death was floating, scattered amongst her thoughts.

She watches as the programmer starts to display camera footage of the crime scene, the _National City Police Department_.

“ What’s the situation ? “ J’onn demands as he enters the room, tension begins to gather quickly in the air.

“ Well, it appears that _Silver Banshee_ has escaped from her cell, “ Winn squints at the screen, “ And she’s going for Cat. “

“ Where is Supergirl ? “ J’onn questions as he crosses his arms across his chest, his stoic expression stays.

“ Right here, “ Kara says as she swoops into the room with a loud woosh, “ What’s going on ? “

“ Brief her, I’ll go prepare the equipment. “ J’onn commands as he leaves the room.

Alex turns to her sister, “ Silver Banshee broke out, “ she studies her sister’s expression carefully, “ and she’s going for Cat. “

Kara’s eyebrows fold and forms a crinkle, “ We need Barry’s earplugs. “

“ Good news and bad news, “ J’onn’s voice booms in the room, “ we have the earplugs but- “

Kara walks to J’onn urgently and takes one pair from his wide hands, “ I got it under control. “ she speeds out of the DEO before anyone could stop her.

Alex pinches the bridge of her nose, “ What’s the bad news ?” she sighs at how anxious Kara could get sometimes.

A grim expression forms on J’onn’s face, “ Silver Banshee’s powers might have developed since their last encounter, there’s a possibility that the earplugs may not be as effective as before. “

“ So Kara’s in danger? “ Alex confirms, biting her lower lip and crossing her arms.

J’onn bobs his head, “ We’ll need to figure out a way to contain her. “

“ Well, you better hurry because Kara is struggling … “ Winn announces as he brings up a camera footage of Kara being affected by Silver Banshee’s screams.

Alex clicks her teeth and rushes out of the room with J’onn to prepare a team. Fear spikes in her heart but she maintains her composure, _she has to_. She isn’t going to be helpful if she loses her cool. Alex worries for Kara, as much as the hero was pretty much indestructible, she could still get hurt. Alex reckons that she has done a decent job of protecting Kara up till now and if anyone were to hurt her sister, the older Danvers was ready to make their deaths look like accidents.

* * *

 

The DEO team arrives outside Catco just as Silver Banshee let out a deafening screech, forcing everyone to throw their hands over their ears. When she stops, some of the agents’ ears began to bleed, _ruptured eardrums_ , Alex notes. Alex curses under her breath as she equips the earplugs. The earplugs bring little relief to her ringing ears, but she decides that it was this or a ruptured ear drum. Alex advances out of the van with her weapon, her eyes catch Kara as she’s thrown into the side of a building.

“ Kara! “

Alex feels her limbs acting on their own, she finds herself helping Kara out of the crater she had created upon impact. The Danvers sisters take cover behind the DEO van as they brainstorm for plans.

“ I’m okay, “ Kara groans as she cradles her shoulder, “ we need to knock her out. “

Alex nods with a small smirk, “ We’ll make sure you’re okay later, I have the weapon right here. “ she pats the electrical gun that she’s holding.

“ That looks more like a glorified taser. “ Kara retorts with a snort as she refocuses her attention on Silver Banshee.

“ Wait till you see it in action, Supergirl. “

Kara shoots an amused glance at Alex, “ Alright, I’ll distract her. And let’s see it. “

The Kryptonian flies upwards and towards Silver Banshee as the agent fixates her gaze on the metahuman. Securing her grip on her weapon, Alex darts out from behind the van to a better position. With Silver Banshee’s attention on Kara, the agent gets into position with relative ease. Silver Banshee has been directing her screams to Kara who is getting affected badly.

Taking a deep breath, Alex flexes her fingers and aims the weapon at Silver Banshee. Once she has a clear shot, she pulls the trigger.

Silver Banshee howls in pain as the electricity runs through her body, “ How dare you! “

Silver Banshee directs a deafening sonic wave at the agent and the loud shriek hinders Alex from keeping the electric weapon steady. Alex tries to hold it for as long as she can but the scream overpowers her earplugs, and it begins to hurt her. The metahuman resists the volts as Alex collapses due to the high frequency of the attack.

“ Alex! “ Kara calls out before a _popping_ sound robs her hearing and the world turns silent.

The agent notices the presence of a liquid in her ears, but ignores it. Alex grits her teeth, if she didn’t finish her job, more people would get hurt. The ringing in her ears prevents her from processing anything but Alex pushes herself off the ground with much difficulty. The agent inches closer but her aim is imprecise, yet she fires the gun again away. It hits, and this time, she holds it for as long as she can, long enough for Kara to swoop in and deliver a hard punch to the banshee.

Once she sees the metahuman hit the ground, Alex drops the weapon and drops to her knees. The screams echo loudly in her ears while her head begins to ache painfully, leaving her in a daze. A pair of strong hands grip her shoulders gently, her eyes follow to meet a superhero in blue. Alex watches as Kara’s mouth move but, she could hear nothing past the throbbing. Her sister’s worried expression prompts her to move her hands to her ears, touching her earholes gently, she feels a wet liquid on her finger tips. Bringing it up close, she recognizes it as blood.

At the corner of her eye, she notices the banshee getting up, Alex tries to warn Kara but the words stay stuck in her throat. Despite knowing that Kara couldn’t get hurt, Alex reacts, pushing Kara away in the nick of time as Silver Banshee delivers a sonic blast at her. She loses consciousness in the process of being thrown back against a car.

The alien shoots her heat vision at the metahuman, this time she makes sure that the banshee stays down. Upon doing so, Kara rushes over to the older Danvers. Alex lay unconscious on the ground with her ears bleeding, Kara mutters a silent _thank god_ as the agent didn’t seem to have any external injuries. Kara kneels beside Alex and cradles her head in her lap, assessing if her sister suffered any internal injuries with her x-ray vision, and miraculously, she’s fine. Till Kara’s vision travels to the agent’s arm.

“ What in the world … “ Kara gasps as she looks at Alex’s wrist, _her soulmate clock_.

She pulls away Alex’s sleeve and stares at the exposed clock, _five hundred hours_ … The Kryptonian doesn’t know how to react, she stays static, her mind reeling, trying to comprehend the fact that she could lose her sister in five hundred hours.

J’onn arrives beside the sisters and his eyes lands on Alex’s exposed wrist, but he ignores it because Alex is in more danger now.

“ Supergirl, we have to get her back to the DEO now. “

Kara forces herself to get a grip as she scoops Alex’s body gently into her arms, “ I’ll meet you back there. “, lips quivering as the words escape her throat.

Time passes in a blur for the younger Danvers, she finds herself back at the DEO with Alex undergoing a minor surgery for her ruptured eardrums. She paces outside the lab with her hands on her hips and an obvious crinkle forms in between her eyebrows.

“ No wonder she didn’t let me use my vision … “ Kara thinks aloud as she clenches her fists, she hardly worries for Alex but this … this means that she could lose her sister in a matter of weeks.

Kara finds it puzzling that Alex pushed her out of the way even though the sonic waves would hardly injure her. Kara gasps when she realizes maybe … _maybe Alex did it on purpose, what if she has a death wish?_

Consumed by her thoughts, Kara fails to notice J’onn’s presence beside her. His large hands gently touch her tense shoulders and she turns with tears building up in her blue eyes.  

 “ Alex is going to be alright. “ J’onn assures, unsure of how else he could comfort the hero.

Kara chokes on her words, “ I know she will … “ her voice comes out as a whisper, “ _for now at least_ … “

He pulls Kara into his chest and holds her, “ We’ll help her find her soulmate, I promise. “

“ What if she doesn’t want to ? “

J’onn’s lips tightens into a line, he knows very well that someday, _they’ll both face the inevitability of living in a world without Alex._ His chest aches at that mere thought, he loved the Danvers sisters as much as he loved his children. In fact, he treats them like his daughters, and he dreads the day that he has to let them go.

“ I … I don’t know … “ J’onn’s voice is barely audible, “ she has to … “

Her tears push past her eyelids and slides down her cheeks while she clings onto J’onn tightly, the hero has never felt this lost in her life. Since she came to Earth, Alex has always been there for her, and to fathom a world without her sister? It is near impossible for Kara.

Kara grips J’onn’s shirt with her fists and her breathing hitches while she tries to contain her tears. The reporter doubts that this anguish and fear in her heart will dissipate but she’s determined to do everything she can for Alex. She scoffs, no wonder Alex hates the universe. She isn’t going to lose her only sister to the universe without a _damn_ fight.

* * *

 

The surgery didn’t take long, but Kara feels like she’s been pacing outside for hours. She refuses to talk to anyone, including Winn when he came over to ask about Alex. J’onn decides to give her space to think while he has to make sure that Silver Banshee was in a secure cell.

Kara speeds to the doctor once she steps out of the lab, her brain didn’t register anything the doctor said apart from the confirmation that Alex is okay. She mumbles a ‘thank you’ and hurries into the room. Alex lay conscious on one of the many beds in the DEO medical bay, she smiles when she sees Kara. But the Kryptonian has her usual crinkle on her forehead, which is a _big_ sign to Alex that something is bothering Kara.

“ How are you feeling? “ Kara asks quietly as she approaches her sister.

“ Well, I can hear again, so that’s a good sign. “ Alex tries to lighten the mood, even though her shoulder blades are sore.

“ Are you sure? “ she frowns skeptically at the agent and crosses her arms across her chest.

“ Yes, Kara, I feel fine, “ Alex bobs her head and motions for her sister to sit, “ What’s bothering you now? “

The younger Danvers bites the inside of her cheek as she takes a seat next to the agent, “ Nothing. “

“ Kara, “ Alex sighs as she signals to the space between her own eyebrows, “ your _crinkle_ never lies. “

Kara bites her lower lip and groans while she looks up at the ceiling, “ Damn it … “

Alex watches Kara expectantly, “ Well, spill it. “

“ When were you going to tell me? “ Kara’s gaze lock onto Alex.

Alex’s breathing pauses, “ Tell you what? “, the agent plays with her fingers anxiously and avoids the hero’s piercing gaze.

“ _Your clock, Alex. When were you going to tell me?_ “ Kara presses, a little more agitated than before, she’s fuming on the inside and she’s not doing a very good job of hiding it.

Alex’s mouth dangles as she struggles to find words, _how did Kara find out so quickly_?

“ I was scanning your body with my vision just now, and I saw your clock, “ Kara says quietly, her voice is a mix of anger and hurt, “ tell me the truth, Alex. “

“ Look, I just didn’t want you to worry … “

“ _I’m your sister, Alex_! How can I not worry when you could die in five hundred hours? “ Kara’s lips tremble as she explodes, she stands in exasperation, balling her hands into fists.

Alex is yet again reminded of the fact that she is going to die, she closes her eyes and inhales through her mouth. Kara paces the room with a burning fury while Alex tries to formulate a response.

“ _And how do you think I feel_ ? “

Kara pauses and grinds her teeth, her back facing Alex. She runs a hand through her blonde curls and sucks in a shaky breath. 

“ I didn’t mean it like that … “ Alex starts to apologize but her voice comes out strangled.

The older Danvers looks at her nails before shifting her gaze to her sister’s figure. Kara hasn’t changed out of her suit and her hair looks dishevelled from the fight earlier. But her shoulders are sagging, like there’s a heavy sadness resting upon them.  

“ You’re my sister, and the last thing I want to do is hurt you … I don’t want you to worry about me, “ Alex’s voice begins to crack and she hesitates, “ I know you have your job and being Supergirl, it keeps you busy enough. “

The Kryptonian turns to face her sister, she bristles at the blatant excuse, “ That’s a lie and we both know it. “

Tears cloud the agent’s vision, but she has to hold them back, for Kara, “ Kara … This is completely up to fate, whether I’ll find my soulmate or not. “

Kara can sense the pessimism in Alex’s voice and she folds her arms across her family crest. Alex purses her lips as she reaches for her sister, Kara is reluctant at first but gives in anyway. She strides back to Alex’s side and allows the agent to take her hand.

“ Why did you push me out of the way? I could’ve taken that blast without risking my life, ” Kara questions as she squeezes Alex’s hand lightly, “ _Tell me, do you want to find your soulmate?_ “

Alex stays silent, she has no answer. Alex Danvers was known for being a skilled combatant, and not for her positivity. Five hundred hours was too little time, people could spend years looking and never find their soulmates. So, what are the chances that she could do it in less than a month?

“ Answer me, Alex. “

The agent’s gaze darts away from the Kryptonian and she answers softly, “ _No._ “

Kara’s shoulders feel like they are caving in and the only thing she could feel is this crushing feeling inside her. A solemn stillness surrounds the Danvers sisters and neither of them knew what to say. After all, what _could_ they say?

“ I’m scared … “ Alex croaks, but forces herself to continue, “ I don’t think I’ll be able to find them in time. “

Kara finds herself unable to look Alex in the eyes, she chides herself for only considering her own feelings.

Alex allows her tears to push past her lashes and flow down her cheeks, “ I don’t want to die, Kara, _not yet_. “ Alex finally admits in a heavy, broken sentence.  

This is the first time Alex really tries to wrap her head around the idea of death, she pulls the sleeves of her uniform away to reveal the clock. The timer has ticked down from five hundred hours to four hundred and ninety-nine. This is her reality now. She uses her hands to wipe her tears away.

“ Nothing is going to rewind this, nothing is going to pause this! Nothing is going to stop this from killing me unless I find my soulmate! “

“ I’ll help, J’onn will too. “

“ There’s seven billion people in the world, Kara! “

“ And I’m going to find your soulmate for you even if you don’t want to, _because losing you is the last thing I want!_ “

Kara isn’t just worried for her, she’s _terrified_. In this moment, the older Danvers could see how much the Kryptonian loves her, and how much her choice will impact Kara. Her death wouldn’t just upset Kara, it would _shatter_ her.

The agent leans closer to the hero and pulls her in for an embrace, a replacement for the ' _I’m not leaving_ ' that she knows she can’t say. Still, Alex holds her sister firmly, as a reminder to Kara that she is still here, _that she is still alive_. The hero presses her cheek to the crook of her sister’s neck and weeps, her tears come in gentle waves initially, but it slowly twists into a rushing tide.

The younger Danvers clutches the back of Alex’s shirt so strongly that Alex wonders if she would rip the fabric, but the agent doesn’t mind, this isn’t just for Kara, this is for her too. Alex gently caresses Kara’s head while she runs a hand down the Kryptonian’s back.

“ Whatever happens, _I’ll always be with you_ , “ Alex whispers into her hair, “ you’ll never lose me. “

They stay in their positions for a while, till Kara stopped heaving and crying.

Kara pulls away hesitantly and locks her gaze on her sister, “ Will you try? “

Alex recognizes the pleading look in her azure eyes, she remembers it from when they were much younger. Kara had convinced her to sneak out for a night flight which did not end well because Eliza and Jeremiah were seething when they got home.

As much as she didn’t want to, she is willing to give it a shot, for Kara, she nods. Alex brings a hand up to wipe away the tears that had stained Kara’s cheek while the younger Danvers cracks into a wide grin. This is the radiant smile she loves to see plastered on the Kryptonian’s face, she’d do anything to keep a crinkle away.

“ So … Are you still up for dinner ? “ Kara asks, hoping to spend more time with her sister.

As if on cue, the Kryptonian’s stomach grumbles so loudly that Alex didn’t need super hearing to pick it up. The agent lets out a loud chuckle as she shakes her head at her sister.

“ Let’s go home, pick up some Noonan’s and catch up on The Night Of, how about that? “

“ Well, I was going to take you to a fancy restaurant that Lena brought me to the other day. “

“ I bet they don’t serve _potstickers._ “

“ Oh damn it, Agent Danvers. “

“ Carry me home like I’m royalty, Supergirl. “

“ Yes, your highness. “

Alex stays silent for a solid three seconds before breaking out in a loud chuckle, Kara joins with a raspy laugh. It’s been too long since they’ve spent time together and they both missed it. Kara scoops Alex up swiftly and the sisters speed out of the DEO without another word.

J’onn smiles at the conversation he intentionally overheard, he worries for Alex but with Kara around, at least Alex is looks less gloomy. And despite the circumstances, he’s happy that his girls are staying by each other.

* * *

 

It is slightly past midnight when Kara leaves Alex’s place, her sister had passed out after downing an entire bottle of wine alone. Kara concludes that though it may not have been a very good choice, wine is the only thing Alex enjoyed immensely.

She decides to go on a night flight, not to patrol, but to scan the entire city to see if anyone else had twenty days left to live. The winds are howling and grey clouds are beginning to amass in the night skies, _a thunderstorm_ , Kara notes. She groans silently, she hates flying in the rain, especially in a thunderstorm, not after that whole episode with Livewire. But she does so anyway, for Alex. If Kara could identify her soulmate for her, then it would make things so much easier for her.

She flies around National City, but nothing turns up. No one’s timer is remotely near Alex’s. She curses loudly at the universe, wishing that if she could change places with Alex, _she would._ Due to her being an off-worlder, Kara doesn’t have a soulmate clock, but she has found her soulmate.

The first drop of rain drizzles down on her suit, Kara grits her teeth and decides to circle the city again. The light drizzle turns into a heavy shower by the time she finishes with her second round, though hardly five minutes had passed since she started. Alex’s soulmate isn’t in National City, which is rare because most soulmates never stray far. Kara decides to take shelter at L-Corp, but really it’s an excuse to spend time with her girlfriend.

The Luthor notices when Kara lands on the balcony completely soaked, she orders Jess to bring in a towel for her girlfriend while she ushers Kara into her office. Lena is fussing over Kara even though she knows a little rain can’t hurt the hero.

“ Did you go for a night flight to scream again? “ Lena asks once Jess had brought the towel and left them alone.

“ Kind of, “ Kara’s shoulders rise as she wipes her face dry, “ I was scanning the city. “

Lena crosses her arms and she leans her weight on her desk, she asks with a small smirk, “ Is there a new threat I should know of? “

Kara chuckles softly and shakes her head, she lets her arms fall as she looks to the ground.

“ It’s about _Alex_. “

“ Did something happen? “

“ Yeah, the universe. “

“ The universe, _Kara,_ really? “

“ She got her clock today, and she only has twenty one days, well, twenty now technically. “

Lena’s jaw drops slightly as she’s reminded of her own search, “ It’ll be hard. “

“ Her soulmate isn’t in National City, “ Kara sighs as she throws her hands up in frustration, “ _how much does the universe want to torment her_? “

Lena opens her arms for Kara to embrace her, but the Kryptonian refuses.

“ I’m still soaked, Lena. “

“ It’s fine, come here. “

Kara wraps her arms around the Luthor, her suit is leaving tiny puddles on the floor around them but she sought solace in Lena. Only her soulmate could comfort this hurricane of emotions within her.

Though Lena hasn't gotten her clock, she's pretty confident that the only right person for her is the Kryptonian. The Luthor tries to empathise but there's a limit to how much she can comfort her girlfriend.

“ I just want Alex to be happy, you know … “ Kara says, gripping Lena a little tighter, “ _I want her to have a long, happy life. Is that so much to ask for?_ “

“ No, no it’s not. The universe is a _bitch_ , but Alex Danvers is a badass, she’s going to kick the universe’s butt and find her soulmate. “

Kara laughs quietly as she pulls away, “ What about me, _Miss Luthor_? “

“ Well, “ Lena smirks and cups Kara’s cheek, “ _You’ll always be my hero, Kara Danvers._ “

The Luthor and the Super fall into a kiss amidst their quiet giggles. _The universe can’t be that bad_ , Kara muses, she is still here with _Lena Luthor, her yellow sun._

* * *

 

 _Four hundred and eighty hours_ , Alex notes when she wakes up to a minor hangover. She runs a hand through her hair and sits up. For someone who is dying in twenty days, she is strangely calm. Alex attributes it to being a DEO agent, there is always a chance of dying on the field, she is used to death surrounding her but when it comes for her, she doesn’t know how to react. Shoving her morbid thoughts away, she prepares for another day of work.

Her first duty of the day is to head down to the National City Police Department to investigate how Silver Banshee managed to escape. Alex is escorted along with a few other DEO agents to the cell block for metahumans and Silver Banshee’s cell is still being repaired. J’onn has informed her that Silver Banshee is in a temporary cell at the DEO while the NCPD fortifies her cell.

Alex mentally criticizes the competency of the NCPD while she circles the cell. Her eyes dart around the room to look for signs of structural damage but she finds none.

“ Her powers have developed, “ a voice says from behind her, “ we were transferring her and an officer was careless. “

Alex turns around and faces the voice, a lady with a very small frame, “ We are aware, and we have things under control. “

“ How is she being contained now? “

“ I suppose the NCPD is too inefficient to know how to handle her. “

The officer scoffs and places her hands on her hips, “ _Inefficient_? Try understaffed, we have to deal with human, metahuman and alien crimes. “

Alex bites her lower lip, aliens, unaware that the NCPD handled alien cases now, she scrutinizes the officer carefully, “ _Who are you_ ? “

Alex catches the officer’s quiet ‘ _tsch_ ’ as she pulls out her police badge and presents it to the agent, “ _Detective Maggie Sawyer, NCPD Science Division._ “

Once Alex validates her badge, the detective tucks it back into her jacket, “ Show me yours.”

Alex hides her displeasure as she reaches for her own badge, making sure that it changes from DEO to Secret Service, “ Alex Danvers, Secret Service. “

Maggie Sawyer gives her a skeptical nod, “ I didn’t know the Secret Service dealt with metahumans now. “

“ We do, “ Alex says sharply, pinching the bridge of her nose, “ and I suggest you let us do our job. “

Maggie tilts her head and looks at the agent, “ I suppose you’d understand that Silver Banshee is under the custody of the NCPD, and she will be returned here once her cell is fixed. “

Alex locks her gaze onto the tiny officer, “ You have no jurisdiction over this, she’ll be returned when this cell is suitable for containment. “

“ This cell is within my jurisdiction. “ the detective declares as she folds her arms across her chest.

“ Your jurisdiction ends when I say it does, _detective._ “ Alex retorts, making sure to put emphasis on the word detective.

The Sawyer squints at the agent, licks her lip and nods subtly, “ See you around, _Danvers._ “

Detective Sawyer turns and indignantly leaves the cell. Alex’s eyes follow the detective’s figure out the door. She turns her attention back to the cell, but the detective is floating amongst her thoughts, preventing her from concentrating. There’s something about _Maggie Sawyer_ that she couldn’t put her finger on, and she already has a hunch that they’ll be seeing more of each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i hope you enjoyed the chapter!  
> hmu @ damnsawyer.tumblr.com  
> or leave a comment idk  
> xo


	2. out of time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello! this chapter took two weeks to write because i didn't start out with a more in depth plan (my draft is a mess of 351 words) anyway it's out now and i hope the next chapter won't take as long because sometimes my brain just goes ?????? dw i've written 2k words, i'm trying to get a chapter out every week at least if it's possible (i will try) and i'm planning about 5 chapters for this fic so mmmm.  
> also there isn't really any angst in this (and i literally live for the angst so it's killing me inside)  
> well i hope you'll enjoy it and leave a comment because i also survive on validation from strangers on the internet.

_“ See you around, Danvers. “_

The words reverberate in Alex’s ears, echoing in her mind for the thousandth time. There’s no explaination for it but there's something about the way Maggie Sawyer says it, the way it rolls off her tongue so smoothly, it keeps the morbid thoughts away, and it fuels the agent’s eagerness to meet the detective again. Thankfully, she doesn’t wait long.

Two days have passed since their first encounter, and Alex is glad to hear that the NCPD has found a Valeronian corpse in a garbage bin. Not that it’s good news, but Alex wonders if she’ll see that minuscule yet annoying cop.

“ What are you doing here? “ Detective Sawyer questions with a slight tinge of annoyance in her voice, and Alex expected this hostility from the way their last meeting ended.

“ Well, _Sawyer_ , this is a case for the Secret Service. “ Alex counters as she strides into the alley where the corpse was found.

“ Haven’t seen the Secret Service step in much, so why now? “ Maggie tilts her head as she stands between Alex and the Valeronian body, the tension between the two begins to rise.

“ Our labs could do a better autopsy, after all, we are dealing with a Valeronian corpse, “ Alex retorts pointedly at the detective while placing her hands on her hips, “ If you don’t mind. “

Alex eyes Maggie carefully as she makes the choice to step aside for the agent, “ Maybe we could work together. “

Alex refuses to acknowledge Maggie’s offer as she steps past her to look at the corpse, she pays no heed to the ‘tsch’ Maggie makes under her breath behind her. After all, the state that the corpse is in caught her full attention.

“ Body was found by a civilian at around a quarter past six in the morning, it was believed to be human till an officer noticed the ridges on its skull. “ the detective informs as she stands next to the agent.

Alex hums quietly as she examines the body, the NCPD had shifted the body out from the bin but there is no sign of any coroner examining the body.

“ No one wants to go near the body, so it’s all yours, _Agent Danvers_. “ Maggie says as if she read the agent's mind and she signals to the corpse on the floor.

Alex’s heart smiles at the way Maggie addresses her and she chides herself mentally for losing focus at work, especially in front of the detective, she wants to keep this stoic exterior up for as long as she can. The agent kneels down beside the corpse as she carefully inspects it, a bald male Valeronian who was rather well-built. A copious amount of bruises marked the body and the Valeronian is missing an eye, though that is not the strangest thing that has happened to the corpse. On his chest lies a gaping hole where his heart should be, and the right side of his ribs has melted into a pool of strange black goo.

“ So, what do you think, Danvers? “ Maggie inquires as she breaks Alex’s train of thought.

Alex stands and crosses her arms, stitching her eyebrows together due to the peculiarity of this case, “ I’m ruling out murder, looks like a science experiment gone wrong. “

Maggie glances at Alex and agrees, “ Any idea what that black substance is? “

Alex purses her lips and searches her memory for anything that could give them an answer, but nothing comes to mind and she shakes her head.

“ I thought you’d know what this was all about, being an agent from the Secret Service. “ Maggie remarks mockingly.

Alex turns and shoots a glare at the detective, “ I’m sure you have other things to do instead of making snarky comments, detective. “

“ Relax, Danvers, I was just joking. “ A small smile finds its way onto the detective’s face and she nudges Alex lightly with her elbow.

Alex feels her face flush at the gesture and she looks away quickly before Maggie manages to catch a glimpse.  She doesn’t know what came over her, but the way Maggie Sawyer smiles makes her heart beat rise into a loud crescendo, she wants to get to know the detective better but is too stubborn to admit that.

Before Alex could respond with a jab, Supergirl lands beside the agent and Kara gives the duo a subtle, professional nod. Maggie’s jaw drops slightly in awe of the Kryptonian but she turns her attention back to the Valeronian corpse in front of them.

“ What happened to this poor man? “ Kara scrunches up her face as she nears the corpse to inspect it.

Alex glances to Maggie, signalling her to speak instead. Maggie clears her throat and stands up a little straighter, and Alex notes that it is quite an endearing action made by the detective.

“ He was found early in the morning at six, an autopsy is needed to determine the cause of death and the black substance. “ Maggie answers seriously as she places her hands on her hips.

Alex observes Kara as she uses her x-ray vision to scan the body, a crinkle forms in between her eyebrows and Alex knows something is up.

“ What is it? “ the older Danvers inquiries curiously.

“ There’s something in his head, “ Kara's crinkle appears as she kneels beside the corpse, “ like a chip. “

The agent and the detective watches as the Kryptonian carefully turns the body around, and sure enough, a small scar is swelling on the back of the Valeronian’s head. Alex recognizes it as a rather fresh scar, the swelling seems to be the result of an infection. Kara looks to her sister for permission and Alex nods, the hero then proceeds to use her heat vision on the scar. It doesn’t take long before the Kryptonian is holding a little square chip with her fingers, a hexagonal red logo could clearly be seen on the transparent chip.

“ Wow, Danvers, maybe you are right after all, an experiment gone wrong. “ Maggie bobs her head subtly as she looks to Alex with an impressed expression.

Both of the Danvers sisters turn their attention the Maggie, but for different reasons. Alex’s cheeks heat up again, unaccustomed to receiving praise, and she feels Kara’s burning gaze on her.

“ I-I’ll have my team take it back to the lab, “ Alex stammers and hands her phone to Maggie, “ I’ll give you a call if we manage to find anything. “

“ Alright, “ the detective enters her number with a small smirk, “ I’m looking forward to working with you, Danvers. “

Maggie passes her phone back to Alex and their fingers brush slightly, another wave of panic passes through Alex as she keeps her phone.

“ Catch you both around. “ Maggie nods as she takes her leave.

Alex watches the detective until she’s gone from sight, and Kara stands in front of her with her eyebrow raised.

“ What was that all about? “ Kara asks in a puzzled tone while handing the chip to her sister, “ I need details. “

Alex laughs nervously, and she tries to lie, but she is way too flustered to think clearly, “ Just an annoying detective. “

Kara scoffs and shoves her sister playfully, “ Come on Alex, you’re as red as the sun on Krypton! “

“ What? “ Alex presses a hand against her cheek, and _damn, they are warm._

“ Details, Danvers. “ Kara urges, mimicking Maggie’s way of calling her.

“ You know what, let’s not discuss this, “ Alex declares as she starts to back away, “ we have to analyse this corpse, Supergirl. “

Kara squints at the agent, “ You are so not getting away with this, lunch, at Noonan’s. “

Alex’s mouth forms a ‘O’ and before she could sputter anything, the Kryptonian has taken off into the skies. She runs a hand up her forehead and through her hair, she couldn’t figure out why she got so flustered the moment the detective started being nice. Alex glances at her wrist, the only thing that keeps her grounded to reality is her soulmate clock. _Four hundred and thirty one hours._

Hardly four days has passed since she’s turned twenty two, and she’s been dealing with her clock rather well. In other words, Alex has taken repressed feelings to a whole new level. She decided that whatever the universe has in store for her, it isn’t worth worrying over. Alex wonders if it’s the universe punishing her for all the things she’s said about it, she assumes if this is karma hitting her, _it's hitting her with a goddamn chair_. Whatever it is, Alex wants to revel in the eighteen measly days she has left.

* * *

 

But, Alex Danvers is a dedicated workaholic, she spends the rest of the morning in the lab, doing several tests on the black substance from the corpse. So far, all the tests suggest that the substance was synthesized by humans and it was radioactive, but she is unsuccessful in breaking down the chemical.

Sighing, she rests her elbows on her desk and buries her face in her hands. This is a tough case and Alex wants to figure out what the substance is, not particularly for the case, but to impress Maggie. She can almost picture Maggie’s impressed smile and somehow a small grin sneaks its way onto her cheeks. A knock on the door interrupts her thoughts and she looks up to face her visitor. It’s Winn, with a tablet in one hand and the chip from earlier in another.

“ I hope I’m not disturbing but I’ve finished decrypting the chip, “ Winn announces from the door, “ and it sure has some neat information. “

“ Not at all, I’m listening. “ Alex says as she signals for him to come in.

The agent watches Winn as he begins to speak excitedly about this marvel of a chip, “ So apparently, this chip acts as a profile log. “

He places the tablet in front of Alex which displayed all the information on the Valeronian, name, age, height, weight, including a mugshot of the Valeronian before he was tossed out like trash.

“ So, our guy here, “ Winn speaks as he enlarges the picture of the Valeronian, “ it seems he was Experiment #141 for this unnamed organization. “

Alex nods towards the picture, “ What did they do to him? “

The technician switches the page on the tablet and an experiment log appears, though it isn’t very detailed, it could help Alex find out what that substance is.

“ I’m not too sure what all of these means, “ Winn’s shoulders rise, “ but in the last few entries, it states that he lived without a heart for an entire day. “

Alex picks up the tablet and skims through the entire log carefully, everything was entered within the duration of a month. Most of the logs were records of tests performed on the Valeronian, only towards the end did they begin experimenting with chemicals named ‘Arcane’ and ‘Surge’.

“ Injected with a dose of Arcane, “ Alex begins to read aloud from the log, “ then proceeded with the heart removal. “

Winn cringes at the gruesome content, “ That’s some nasty stuff there. “ he remarks.

But Alex ignores him and continues anyway, “ Subject was able to proceed as per usual after the removal, however, faltered when Surge was injected. “

The agent decides to read the rest of the log silently just to ensure that she could grasp all the information. Whatever this Surge chemical is, Alex is quite positive it caused the death of the Valeronian.

“ So … the black substance you found, “ Winn says, “ I’m assuming it’s Surge? “

Alex looks back to the vial filled with the substance, and nods, “ The log mentions that the body started to disintegrate due to the chemical reacting with the Valeronian’s DNA. “

Winn scrunches up his face, “ Oh man … So what now? “

Alex ponders for a while before giving another order to Winn, “ Do you think you can track the substance? “

“ I can try, was it synthesized? “ Winn asks.

Alex bobs her head, “ And it’s radioactive as well, you could trace its radiation signature. “

Winn beams widely and pokes his chest, “ Leave it to me. “

“ Thanks for the help, Winn. “ Alex smiles at the technician who feels more like a younger brother.

“ No problem, Alex! I’ll get back to work now. “ Winn says cheerfully as he leaves her lab.

Alex’s eyes follow Winn for a while and she wonders how he would react if she ever told him about her clock, after all, they’ve gotten so much closer since he started working at the DEO. She had long considered Winn to be family, and she knows the feeling is mutual. Alex hates to hurt the people she loves, so she’s doing everything she can. The agent hasn’t exactly given up hope, but rather she doesn’t know where to start looking for her soulmate, or if her soulmate even wants to be found. _Eighteen days and two people will fade to a memory, thanks to the cosmos and its brutal shenanigans._

Sighing, she whips out her phone to check the time, it’s almost noon and that means lunch with her sister. Alex pinches the bridge of her nose and exhales, it’s going to be tough to explain to Kara why she was so flustered earlier on. Heck, she didn’t even know why, the last time she felt like this was in highschool. Her phone rings in her hand and it brings her back to reality, Kara’s name has appeared on her screen and she answers.

“ Alex, don’t forget lunch! “ Kara’s cheerful voice fills her with dread.

“ I won’t, “ Alex sighs, “ I’ll be there soon. “

“ Okay, Danvers, don’t be late. “ Kara says seriously before breaking into a soft chuckle.

Alex grunts and hangs up, standing up from her chair, she grabs her jacket and leaves her lab. She makes a mental note to give Maggie a call after lunch while she walks to her bike. Just as Alex swings her leg over her bike, her phone begins to vibrate against her thigh. Alex reaches for it and answers without looking at the caller ID.

“ Hello? “ Alex speaks casually, expecting it to be her sister again.

“ _Danvers_. “ a familiar voice answers.

Alex pauses, her eyes widen slightly over the fact that _Maggie Sawyer_ is calling her. She reminds herself that it was Maggie who gave her number, not the other way around.

“ How did you get my number? “

“ I’m a detective, Agent Danvers, I detect. “

“ Can you detect my displeasure, Detective Sawyer? “

Maggie’s laughter fills her ears and Alex thinks it’s a sweet laugh, almost like music to her ears. She takes a deep breath and attempts to contain the grin on her cheeks.

“ Are you free tonight? “ the detective asks casually.

Alex squints suspiciously, “ Yeah, what’s up? “

“ I want to bring you somewhere, “ Maggie says, “ don’t worry, it’s not some place sketchy and it’s not a _date_. “

Alex’s breathing hitches at the word ‘date’, she struggles with her words and could only choke out a hardly audible ‘where’.

“ I’ll text you the location, “ Maggie informs, “ see you later, Danvers. “

The call cuts and Alex stares at her phone screen for a good minute before her mind processed everything. How did they turn from two people who were wary of each other into two potential friends? Strangely, Alex could see them working together a lot in the foreseeable future, on various cases, maybe even hanging out sometimes. A small smile touches her lips as she receives the location from Maggie, shoving her phone into her pocket, Alex starts the engine and makes her way to Noonan’s.

* * *

 

“ Alex! “ she hears her name and looks up from her phone.

Alex catches her sister jogging towards her where she had been waiting outside Noonan’s for the past ten minutes, doing nothing but staring at Maggie’s message.

“ So much for ‘don’t be late’ “ Alex mutters with air quotes.

Kara adjusts her glasses and sheepishly smiles, “ Sorry, I had to make a few calls for Ms Grant and the people on the line were infuriatingly incompetent. “

Alex snorts at her sister, “ And I am starving, let’s go. “

“ So am I, “ Kara chuckles as she links her arms with the agent’s and the sisters step into the restaurant, “ I’m craving for some potstickers. “

“ Kara, it’s literally the only thing you eat. “

The Danvers settle into a comfortable conversation after ordering their food, Alex had updated Kara on the Valeronian case and the Kryptonian decides to change the topic.

“ So … “ Kara says as her mouth twists into a sneaky grin, “ about that _detective._ “

Alex leans back in her chair and braces herself for the conversation they are about to have, “ What about her? “

“ Well, _who is she_ , for starters? “ Kara asks and Alex knows that her sister isn’t going to just let this slide.

“ Detective Maggie Sawyer, NCPD Science Division, “ Alex answers, “ we met when I went to inspect Silver Banshee’s cell. “

The Kryptonian nods with an amused expression, “ Is she your soulmate? Because my Kryptonian senses are tingling, I feel there’s something more to it than just that. “

Alex breaks into a snicker at how ludicrous it sounds, “ This is the second time we’ve met, don’t think too much into it. “ she lifts her wrist to show Kara that her clock is still ticking.

Kara exhales through her nose and shrugs, “ It was worth a shot, besides, she looks like she’s into girls. “

“ Well, she did ask me out. “

“ I knew it! “

“ It’s not a date, Jesus, calm down. “

“ Why the heck did she ask you out then? “

“ I don’t know, she wants to take me somewhere. “

Kara purses her lips and squints at her sister, “ Should I follow you? “

The agent rolls her eyes and scoffs, “ Don’t you dare, I’ll disown you as my sister. “

“ You wouldn’t! “ Kara fakes a shocked gasp.

Alex leans forward and whispers, “ I would. “

The younger Danvers huffs, “ I still stand by my opinion that she’s into you. “

“ Is this your Kryptonian senses or your gaydar kicking in? “ Alex shakes her head and looks at her sister.

“ A mix of both, “ Kara giggles, “ I’ve been getting really good at identifying lately. “

“ I see Lena has been a good influence on you.” Alex shoots an amused smile at her sister as the waiter serves them their lunch.

" Oh she's been doing _more_ than that. "

" Alright, I don't need to know the gnarly details. "

They spend a good amount of time just talking and enjoying each other’s presence. God knows how many more days they could spend together, Kara is well aware of that fact and she’s trying to just enjoy whatever time she has left with her sister. Both of them are slowly coming to terms with the fact that Alex might not live past this month, and even though Alex is trying to make peace with it, Kara isn’t giving up, _not yet_. The Kryptonian circles the city every night, _three times_ , but she always ends up in the arms of L-Corp’s CEO, disappointed and frustrated.

* * *

 

The rest of the day passes in a flash for Alex while she spends the majority of the day in the lab, so much for savouring her last few weeks on this plane of existence. It’s dark out when she leaves to meet Maggie in a dingy, abandoned lot. The agent spots the detective leaning against the wall of an old building and stops her bike in front of her.

“ Nice ride. “ Maggie comments as she approaches Alex.

“ Thanks, “ Alex removes her helmet and runs a hand through her brown locks, “ this place looks sketchy as hell, Sawyer. “

Maggie shrugs it off as she places her hands on her hips, “ You’ll see in a while, Danvers. “

Alex doesn’t question the detective as she follows her to the door of the old building, despite barely knowing the Maggie, Alex trusts that this isn’t some kind of set up. Maggie’s knuckles collide against the rusty metal door lightly and the viewing slot that is seemingly placed too high for her slides open.

“ Dollywood. “ Maggie says, tossing a glance to the agent as reassurance.

The door creaks loudly and swings open, allowing passage to the duo, a burly man watches them cautiously from the shadows, but it’s too dark for Alex to make out any features. Maggie starts descending down the dark stairs and Alex hesitates for a moment before following the tiny detective. She sees a dim light at the end of the stairs and the room begins to light up slowly, soft indie music plays in the background as she sweeps the area.

“ A dive bar? Really, Sawyer? “ Alex raises an eyebrow at the detective.

“ Things aren’t always as they seem, Danvers, look closer. “ Maggie says as she leads them to an empty table.

Alex surveys the area carefully, finding nothing out of the ordinary, until her eyes land on a patron with _gills_ on his neck. She instinctively brushes her fingers over the handle of her gun, the feeling of the cool metal against her skin reassures her slightly.

“ Relax, Danvers, “ Maggie’s voice is soothing and gentle, she takes Alex’s fingers off the handle and into her own hands and urges her to sit, “ they’re not hostile. “

Alex remains guarded and tense despite the detective’s assurance, she furrows her eyebrows and asks, “ What is this place? “

“ A sketchy dive bar? “ Maggie answers casually while the ends of her lips tug into a smug grin, she takes a seat across the agent.

Alex glares at the detective warningly, “ The truth, Sawyer. “

Maggie raises her hands in surrender, “ It acts as a safe haven for off-worlders to be themselves, to meet others, it’s a place where they can remove their false skins. “

Alex pauses, she has always regarded aliens to be dangerous, with the exception of the two Kryptonians and one Green Martian in her life. The thought that they too were people hardly occurred to the agent, that they had lives before they arrived here, she hums a quiet response.

“ So this is where you get all you information on the alien populace in National City. “ Alex muses.

Maggie nods as an attractive bartender approaches them and a huge grin finds its way onto Maggie’s lips. Alex watches as the detective’s eyes light up and she thinks it’s cute yet alluring at the same time. She observes as Maggie’s arms snake around the bartender’s waist and Alex feels strangely conflicted inside.

“ Hey _babe._ “ Maggie greets the bartender, and Alex recognises that she is a Roltikkon, a species with telepathic abilities.

“ Hey Mags, who’s this? “ the Roltikkon politely nods at Alex.

“ Darla, meet Alex, a friend from work, “ the detective introduces casually, “ Alex, meet Darla, my _girlfriend_. “

Alex curses silently at how right Kara was, and extends her hand to Darla and the Roltikkon grasps Alex’s hand in a light grip, “ Nice to meet you. “

“ Can you get us two beers, we have some stuff to talk about. “ Maggie smiles sweetly at her girlfriend.

“ Coming up, detectives. “ Darla nods and leaves the two.

“ Wow. “ is all Alex can say, the fact that this place exists is overwhelming.

“ This place is quite something, isn’t it? “ Maggie says as she looks around to the patrons who added a touch of familiarity to this place.

Alex nods in agreement, but she doesn’t take her eyes off Maggie, “ You come here often? “

“ It’s practically home. “ Maggie answers.

Darla returns with two bottles of chilled beer and leaves them, sensing that they had much more to talk about.

“ Home, huh? Are you an alien too? “ Alex teases as she takes a swig of her beer.

Maggie lets out a tender laugh and shakes her head, “ No, but I feel like one sometimes. I didn’t know you had it in you to joke around, Danvers. “

Alex rolls her eyes and scoffs, “ I can be nice if I want to, Sawyer. “

“ I grew up a non-white, non-straight girl, and I identify with these off-worlders more than I do with my own species, “ Maggie’s shoulders rise as she takes a sip of her beer, “ we’re all seeking shelter away from humans. “

Alex is reminded of when Kara first joined the Danvers, nothing was normal for her from that day onwards, and she was just as alienated as Kara was.

“ I can empathise. “ Alex slides her hand over Maggie’s, it feels as if the universe is telling her to do so, like it’s the right thing to do.

But the detective pulls away quickly, seemingly shocked by the gesture and Alex chides herself mentally for trusting the universe, all she’s done is make things awkward between them.

“ Sorry. “ the agent pulls her hand back and murmurs.

“ It’s fine, “ Maggie smiles and tries to lighten the tension between them, “ Darla gets jealous easily, and I would rather avoid the wrath of an angry Roltikkon. “

“ Angry Roltikkon, huh? “ a voice speaks from behind the agent’s shoulder, and Maggie is the only reason why Alex doesn’t have her gun in her hand.

A face attaches itself to the voice as she stands beside the two humans, and Alex is unable to identify what species of aliens she belongs to. The alien has shapeshifted into a human, a tall brunette, with the only exception that her eyes are a blazing orange.

“ Camille, “ Maggie gives a curt nod to the alien, “ just the person I need. “

Camille grunts, “ Only if you buy me a drink, and a rematch at pool. “

“ Done. “ Maggie’s answer is swift, without any hesitation.

Alex watches as the two interact, and she is still trying to figure out what race or planet Camille hails from.

“ Do you know anything about a male Valeronian? “

“ I’m gonna need more than just that, Mags. “

“ His name is Al, he’s about 1.9 metres tall, well-built- “ Alex begins to say but Camille cuts her off mid sentence.

“ Al, yeah, I know him. He used to come in every other week, he was practically a friendly giant. “ Alex swears she could hear the softest crack in Camille’s voice.

“ Do you have any idea if he has any enemies? “ Alex asks carefully.

“ No, I mean, he was a nice guy, he stopped coming in a month ago, and nobody knows where he went, “ Camille sighs heavily, “ I gotta go. “

“ Thanks Cam. “ Maggie nods as the alien takes her leave without another word.

Alex drinks her beer quietly, and she feels Maggie’s gaze on her, she looks up and their eyes meet. And Alex can’t describe the feeling she feels when she looks into Maggie’s eyes, it almost feels like finally seeing light after treading for years in a long tunnel. The agent pulls her eyes to the floor when Maggie clears her throat.

“ How did you get all that information on the Valeronian? “ Maggie asks curiously, “ I’m pretty sure his name wasn’t scrawled across his forehead. “

“ It’s the chip, it has just about everything that we need. “

“ Did you find out what that black goo is? “

“ It’s a synthesized chemical named Surge by a nameless organization that had been experimenting on the Valeronian. “

“ Surge, “ Maggie scoffs, “ You gotta fill me in, Danvers. “

And Alex does, for a few good hours. The pair didn't realize how much time has gone by after they started discussing the case, it branched into various topics and soon enough, Alex is telling jokes just so she can hear the detective’s captivating laugh, watch her lips curl into an amused grin. By the end of the night, the agent and detective would have passed off as old friends, no one would have known they had just met. For the first time in a while, Alex didn’t want the day to end.

* * *

 

“ Sawyer. “

“ What’s up, Danvers? “

“ Found another corpse, are you up for it? “

“ You bet, I’m on my way. “

This is the _third_ corpse they’ve found this week, the first being the Valeronian corpse. Alex circles the body, it isn’t an alien corpse, this time it’s a human corpse. Alex lets the coroner do to her work as she stands back and examines the area. The poor woman is disfigured beyond the point of recognition, no missing limbs or any visible injuries that could’ve caused her death. This case is as puzzling as the previous ones. Maggie arrives in record time at the crime scene, making her way past the police tape, she stands next to Alex.

“ So, what do we have here? “ Maggie hums with a burning interest in the body.

“ A human, found in the park face down by an old couple on a morning stroll, “ Alex answers, “ they thought she fainted, but then they saw the disfiguration and called the cops. “

Maggie clicks her teeth, “ Wanna bet that it’s the same organization? “

“ Twenty, and no way. “

The coroner turns to face the pair, “ Agent Danvers? “

Alex nods and steps closer to the body, “ What did you find? “

The coroner stands and hands Alex a chip, the very same chip that was embedded in both the Valeronian corpse and the previous body they found.

“ I’ll run this through the missing person files, “ Maggie informs, “ and my street contacts. “

“ Seems like we need to step up our game and track this organization down, “ Alex frowns and places her hands on her hips, “ before more people end up dead. “

“ Seems like drinks are on you tonight. “ Maggie answers with a smug shrug of her shoulders.

Alex licks her lips as they tug upwards into a small smile, “ Focus on the case, Sawyer. “

Kara appears beside the two ladies in her regular clothes and a notebook in hand, “ Kara Danvers, Catco reporter. “ she clears her throat and introduces herself.

 “ She’s your sister? “ Maggie asks with a tinge of surprise in her voice.

“ Adoptive, but yes “ Alex nods.

“ Nice to meet you, “ Kara extends her hand with a smile, “ detective ..? “

“ Maggie Sawyer, NCPD Science Division. “ the cop shakes Kara’s hand firmly.

Alex glances at the Kryptonian and begins filling in details for Kara, though Maggie finds it weird that the agent is giving out all the details since Catco isn’t exactly known to report murders. Though it could be the agent doing the reporter a favour by giving her a scoop, she muses. There is nothing much that they could have done, and frankly, they’ve hit a wall on this case.

* * *

 

“ Wow, you are _terrible_ at pool. “ Alex comments incredulously and takes a sip of her beer.

“ I'm _great_ at many things but playing pool is just not my forte. “ Maggie tries to justify with a small shrug of her shoulders.

“ I’m sure it’s not, Sawyer. “ Alex hums as she walks to an empty table.

Maggie follows her, “ I don’t get to win my money back? “

“ I already lost that bet the other day, and besides, we’d be here for _hours_. “ The agent retorts teasingly and Maggie responds with a sarcastic laugh.

The detective’s phone rings and Alex lets her take it, a call from work, she notes as Maggie speaks in a hushed voice. The call ends quickly, just like their night.

“ An alien escaped the organization alive, “ Maggie informs in a hushed voice, “ wanna come? “

“ Are you hearing yourself, detective? “ Alex scoffs and raises an eyebrow, “ let’s go. “

The agent and the detective rush out of the bar without finishing their drinks, they both enjoyed their work too much, it’s thrilling, so to speak. For Alex, she has an underlying motive, that being she wants to spend time with the detective, even though she’s trying to delude herself into thinking otherwise.

The pair arrives at the National City Hospital as quickly as they can, even though their alien wouldn’t just disappear into thin air. So far, they’ve uncovered five corpses, and this is the first time that they are not hovering over a rotting body. The detective leads the way into an area of the hospital designated for alien citizens, the president had demanded it after officiating the amnesty, justifying that aliens needed healthcare too.

“ Detectives. “ a cop acknowledges the two women entering the room.

“ Spill, I want to know every detail. “ Maggie demands while Alex’s eyes scan the room and the doctor is still examining the victim.

Alex tunes out to the brief conversation Maggie has with the cop, the patient isn’t an unfamiliar face. Her torso is wrapped tightly with bandages and her arm is in a sling, apart from that, she looks fine. The doctor nods at the two of them before leaving the room with the cop.

“ _Camille?_ “ Maggie pushes past the agent to get a glimpse of her friend.

“ _Mags_ , “ the alien reaches out for the cop, “ it’s the same people who _killed_ Al, isn’t it? “

The detective nods and holds the alien’s hand while she scans her friend up and down, “ We need to know everything that happened. “

“ They’re called _Cadmus_ , “ Camille begins to speak, “ and they’re turning us into weapons. “

“ _Cadmus_ , “ Alex gasps, letting the name roll off her tongue, a name she isn’t expecting to hear, “ they’re behind all of this. “

“ You know something, Danvers? “ Maggie’s eyes dart to the agent and she watches her carefully.

“ Cadmus was a government organization, “ Alex explains quietly, “ they went rogue when the amnesty was officiated. “

“ They are turning humans and aliens into mutants, weapons for their organization, “ Camille shuts her eyes and exhales through her nose, “ I-I saw … some people from the bar too. “ her voice cracks at the end of her sentence.

“ We’ll figure out a way to rescue them, “ Maggie’s voice is a reassuring whisper, “ how did you escape? “

Camille’s grip tightens around Maggie’s fingers, “ They let me go- , _no,_ a man named _Jeremiah,_ he helped me escape. “

Alex’s heart stops, her shoulders tenses at the name she hears, and her throat feels unbelievably dry. She swallows, muttering something along the lines of making a call and hurries out the room. Once outside, she exhales a breath that she was unconsciously holding. Alex hasn’t heard anything about her father since J’onn told her about Cadmus for the first time, and to hear his name now, she doesn’t know how to cope with dying in two weeks anymore. She runs a hand through her hair and leans against the cool wall of the hospital, right now, everything seems to be going south.

“ Danvers, “ Maggie’s voice is laced with concern, for some reason, it calms the agent, “ you okay? “

Alex clears her throat and nods, supressing any hint of emotion, “ Yeah, I’m fine. “

Maggie eyes the agent suspiciously but decides not to pursue, “ We’re going to have a couple of busy days ahead. “

“ Can’t wait. “

* * *

 

“ Danvers, got a tip, you in? “

“ If it’s another deserted dump of a place, detective, count me in. “

Maggie chuckles across the line, “ Texting you the location, see you there. “

The call ends and Alex looks at her phone when a message from Maggie appears, an abandoned warehouse near the east side of the city. Laughing quietly to herself, she revs her engine, and speeds off in the direction of the east. So much for going home and enjoying a glass of wine before going to bed.

She gets there in a reasonable amount of time and surveys the area, another sketchy, abandoned area. Alex supposes as long as she’s working with Maggie, they’ll never go to places that doesn’t involve suspicious alleys or corpses. It’s dark out and the only light came from the stars, rain starts to fall, leaving little droplets on her jacket. The light winds force Alex to pull her jacket closer to her body and tuck her freezing hands into her pockets. She huffs, scanning the area, she can barely make out the silhouette of the building in the darkness. A blue white scar shatters the dark sky and a low rumble follows.

Ten minutes into waiting for the cop to appear, the light drizzle transcends into a heavy downpour and Alex is standing in the midst of it all with a newfound irritation for Maggie Sawyer. Due to being so far out, she’s unable to reach Maggie on the phone. She contemplates between staying and leaving, though the latter sounds like a much better option, she stays. Maggie always shows, even if it’s four in the morning and they’ve both had approximately three hours of sleep. A wave of worry passes over her, recently more and more corpses have been turning up, she shudders at the thought of one of them being Maggie. Pushing the thoughts out of her mind, she grasps her gun firmly in one hand and a torchlight in the other, using the Harries flashlight technique.

Alex approaches the warehouse cautiously, if Maggie’s tip is right, she could be dealing with mutated aliens. The agent spots a tiny crack in the door and slips through it warily. The warehouse is dark, and a stale scent hangs in the air, she decides it’s better than being drenched outside. Moving her torchlight around, Alex sees that the warehouse is mostly empty, other than a few old crates and machinery that seem like they would fall apart at any moment. She treads discreetly on the broken concrete floor, but it doesn’t help that her soaked shoes are making squelching sounds.

A figure moves at the corner of her eye and she swivels to face the darkness, her flashlight lighting up the shadows but nothing seems out of the ordinary. Alex keeps her guard up and she wonders if she’s just paranoid, maybe Maggie’s tip was a false alarm. A creak from behind makes her jump and when she turns, the tip of her gun is facing another barrel. Maggie Sawyer stands in front of her with a deep gash on her forehead and they both lower their weapons.

“ What happened? “ Alex hisses as she shines the torch on Maggie.

“ I’m fine, someone knocked me out. “ Maggie whispers as she moves her hand onto the cut.

Alex pulls her hand away before the cop could touch it, “ It could get infected, I’ll take a look at it once we get out of here. “

“ That might take a while, Danvers, “ Maggie clicks her teeth and raises her weapon, “ we’ve got company. “

Alex shifts her body to face their attackers, it’s a group of humans. A dim light illuminates the room and the agent and the detective are outnumbered. Alex waits, and observes, two of them versus ten men isn’t a very fair fight, but neither side is making the first move. Cautious glances bounce back and forth and a heavy tension sits in the silence of the room. Alex’s hands are stiff from holding onto her weapon, her shoulders are tense, but her body is prepared for a fight. Maggie pulls her out of the way when the first shot bounces off the metal walls of the building with a loud clang. The pair duck behind some crates as several bullets whizz past them in staccato, hitting and embedding themselves in the crates that protected the agent and detective from certain death.

“ What’s the plan, Danvers? “ Maggie hisses and attempts to take a peek but ducks back down instantly as a bullet misses her skull by mere inches.

“ Stay alive, call for back up. “ Alex orders, firing a blind shot at the hostiles.

Maggie is already switching positions when she speaks, “ There’s no signal here, I’ll circle around, keep them busy. “

“ Wait! Sawyer! “ Alex tries to stop her but it’s too late, the cop has disappeared into the darkness.

The bullets are flying, unrelentingly and Alex crouches against the crates. Poking her head out, she fires a shot at one of the men, the bullet enters his torso and he collapses. She moves, knowing that it’ll be harder to get shot, she vaults over the crates and fires three shots, and they hit their mark when she rolls behind a barrel. The gunshots are ringing in her ears now, Alex peeks from the side and is surprised when they start collapsing on the floor, _Maggie._ Coordinating with the detective, she fires more shots at the remaining goons. Maggie is an excellent marksman, and while Alex is busy adoring her, she fails to notice the approaching assailant.

“ _Danvers! Watch out_! “ Maggie cries out and Alex dodges another bullet but it grazes her arm and leaves a shallow cut.

The agent ignores it and fires a shot at her assailant and it hits, but it ricochets off his chest with a light ‘ping’ sound. Alex aims for his head and pulls the trigger again, but it bounces off again. She sees the smug grin on her aggressor’s face when he steps into the light.

“ _J’onn?_ “ Alex freezes as she lowers her gun, unable to believe her eyes.

“ I should have locked up that Kryptonian you call your sister when I had the chance years ago. “ he snarls viciously at her.

“ You’re _Hank Henshaw_ , “ Alex realises, the man standing in front of her is a cyborg, “ how are you _alive?_ “

“ _Cadmus_ saved me when that alien J’onn J’onzz stole everything from me, my place at the DEO, my identity, my life! “ Hank roars as his fists clench.

Alex raises her weapon again, “ So you work for them now? “

“ We have mutual goals, that being eradicating all alien life from the face of Earth. “

“ You can try, but I sure as hell won’t let you succeed. “ 

The agent fires her gun but it clicks and nothing leaves its barrel, she cusses and tosses her gun aside, she brings up her fists and readies herself in a fighting stance. He’s fast, he throws a few jabs at Alex and she moves away, dodging each one. Her training at the DEO is paying off now, she is light on her toes as she retaliates. Alex throws a punch across his face and delivers another one to his gut, her knuckles are instantly bruised. He grunts, but is unaffected. She extends her leg with the intention of a strong kick against his chest but he stops her with a tight grip around her ankle. He squeezes, hard, and she feels her muscles twisting, she cries out in agony. With a swift twist of his arms, Alex is lying on the ground with a sharp pain running up her back and a limp leg. The last thing she sees is his fist and she falls into the darkness.

Maggie’s too far to help Alex fight but her phone miraculously picks up on a signal, and before she could call for help, a blow against the back of her head sends her into Erebus.

* * *

 

“ Danvers? Danvers, wake up. “

All Alex can feel is pain, a throbbing sensation on her face, she slowly opens her eyes to see a worried Maggie Sawyer hovering over her.

“ Hey, can you hear me? “

She blinks, once, twice, and everything comes back in waves. Alex shoots up from the floor and gasps, her mind is reeling with the scenes from before. She takes a look around and they are in a cell, Maggie’s head is bleeding and she remembers Hank Henshaw and-

“ _Alex_ , _breathe_ , “ Maggie runs a hand down her back, “ it’s okay, you’re okay. “

Her mind focuses on the detective’s gentle voice, she shuts her eyes, replaying the sentence in her head, repeating every word and syllable as if it’ll help. Drawing a deep breath into her lungs, she keeps it there, for as long as she can, until she can no longer take the burning sensation in her chest. Alex exhales slowly, calming her heart and mind. The cell they are trapped in is cold and bare, with hardly any space. A single bulb dangles precariously from the ceiling, like it could drop at any given moment and plunge them into an uncertain darkness.

Alex turns to Maggie after a long pause and asks, “ Where are we? “

“ I don’t know, “ Maggie’s shoulders rise slightly, “ I tried to call for backup and then I was out. “

“ We need to get out of here. “ the agent mutters as she pushes herself off the ground.

Her right ankle fails to hold her weight and she collapses, but Maggie catches her in time and prevents her from hitting the ground. A surge of pain runs through her leg and Alex regrets her decision instantly, she holds back on crying out in pain but a wince still escapes her lips.

“ Easy there, Danvers, “ Maggie says and lowers Alex back onto the ground, “ your ankle’s pretty beat up. “

Alex retorts as she rests her back against the cold concrete wall, “ Speak for yourself, Sawyer. “

Maggie’s lips reveal a small smile before she shakes her head and takes a seat next to the agent. Their shoulders are pressed against each other, and the pair appreciates the warmth radiating from the other’s body.

“ There’s nothing we can do now. “

“ So basically, we’re stuck here. “

“ An agent with a broken ankle and a detective with a broken skull in a cell, sounds about right. “

Alex laughs and glances at Maggie, “ I could have been home, enjoying a glass of wine, and instead I’m in this dingy, cold prison with _you_. “

“ I’m touched, Danvers, “ Maggie retorts sarcastically, “ you clearly make great life choices. “

Alex scoffs and playfully nudges the cop with her shoulder, “ Oh shut it, Sawyer. “

A comfortable silence sits between them in the chilly air, and they stare ahead, out into the dark corridor.

“ You’re part of the DEO. “ Maggie states, it isn’t a question.

Alex stares at the flicking bulb and nods, “ You heard everything, didn’t you? “

“ You’d think they’d come up with a better name for such an elite organization. “

The duo breaks into a light chuckle, “ It grows on you. “ Alex says, reminiscing about the times when she first joined the DEO.

“ So, who was that? “

Alex pauses, unsure whether she should tell Maggie, whether she should open up to the detective who has seemingly become more than a friend over the course of the past week. Maggie watches Alex furrow her eyebrows, she pays attention to the way Alex’s eyes dart towards the ground and how she plays with her fingers.

“ _If you don’t want to, I understand, I don’t-_ “

“ It’s Hank Henshaw, the original director of the DEO. “

Maggie nods silently, not wanting to interrupt, she can tell that this topic was a sore spot for Alex. She listens without commenting, only nodding and humming when necessary. The detective feels the agent seething quietly as she told her story, and Maggie understands. These are emotions that Alex have kept pent-up for years, feelings that she’s never shown anyone, all hidden behind her walls. A strong connection exists between the two, their lives were meant to be intertwined and Maggie feels it, she knows in her heart that the universe has placed _Alex Danvers_ in her life for a reason. Though she still doesn’t know why, but she gets a hunch that she’ll find out in the coming weeks.

Alex finishes her story and a silence pursues, and she stares ahead, not knowing how to feel after baring her soul to Maggie Sawyer.

“ Thanks for listening. “

“ Hey, I asked and it’s a lot to take in, I’m sorry about your dad, I hope you find him soon. “

“ I hope so too, “ Alex’s voice cracks slightly, but it goes by unnoticed, she changes the topic quickly, “ what about your dad? “

Maggie tenses, and she clenches her jaw, dads are a sensitive topic to both women.

“ When I was fourteen, I was outed to my parents, and they weren’t known for their open-mindedness, “ Maggie’s voice gets softer with each word, “ and my father had a bad temper, he kicked me out. “

Instinctively, Alex places her hand over Maggie’s and gently rubbed circles on the detective’s skin with her thumb. Maggie doesn’t pull away, and Alex feels slightly relieved since that time at the bar didn’t go so well. But Maggie stays static, staring straight into nothing and her face revealed no emotion as well.

“ I’m sorry. “

“ It’s not important, Danvers. “

“ _It is_ , coming out was one of the most crucial moments in my life, “ Alex begins to say, “ and it’s not fair that you were robbed of yours. “

Maggie clenches her jaw, and shuts her eyes, “ _The universe is never fair, it’s always been cruel._ “

Alex exhales softly through her nose, “ You’re right about that. “

Neither of them speaks after that, and Alex is beginning to feel the fatigue set in. Though she worries for Maggie, the detective isn’t looking all that good. It doesn’t take long before the detective’s head starts drooping to the side, her head resting against the agent’s shoulder. Alex dares not make a single move, in fear of waking Maggie. She watches the cop sleep, and she wonders about Maggie’s life since both of them had never really discussed their personal life. It’s always about work, or other people, but never about them. And, Alex wants to get to know Maggie, _the true Maggie Sawyer behind those walls she’s built._

* * *

 

The sound of a metal gate being unlocked reverberates through the cell, and the pair perks up instantly. Maggie’s on her feet within seconds and she sways slightly but is somehow stable enough to help Alex up. This time, Alex remembers not to place any weight on her right foot. The agent is about to convince Maggie to sit when a figure appears at the corridor, followed by two others.

“ What the hell do you want with us? “ Maggie snarls viciously, the detective still had her ferocity despite having a bleeding skull.

The figure steps into the light, “ You’ll see. “

The female is tall, with her dark blonde hair tied up in a tight, neat bun. An authoritative yet villainous aura hangs around her and smug smile is plastered on her face as she unlocks the cell, allowing access to her two goons. Alex tosses an uncertain glance at Maggie who sways when they begin to approach the pair.

“ There’s no point fighting back. “ the female, presumably their leader, discourages.

In a swift motion, the two guards extend their batons and begins approaching them. Maggie steadies herself against the wall while Alex tries her best not to stumble, she’s a goddamn DEO agent and she’s not going to let a little injury incapacitate her. But, truth be told, they never stood a chance with their injuries. The guards take them out in nimble moves, and once again, the agent and the detective are out cold.

When Alex awakens again, it’s because of a bright light shining down on her. She tries to move her arms to shield her eyes but is unable to move them, so she clamps her eyelids shut. Both her hands, along with her torso, are strapped down to the cold bed. She blinks, forcing her eyes to adjust to the lights. The agent’s eyes catch a glimpse of Maggie across her, she’s still in a daze and everything is hazy. But she can make out blurry figures surrounding Maggie, they are doing something to her. She shouts, but her voice is hoarse and her throat is dry, and it comes out as a strangled croak. Maggie’s screams bring Alex to reality, her vision begins to clear and she struggles against her metal restrains. They begin cutting into her flesh, leaving red rings of bruises on her wrists, but she doesn’t care, Maggie is writhing in pain and that’s all her mind can process.

A guard enters the room and speaks in whispers to the figures, something is up and Alex is trying to listen in on their conversation. She catches nothing and they exit the room in a hurry, leaving them imprisoned.

“ Sawyer? “ Alex croaks, hoping that the detective would respond with a jab.

But she doesn’t, she stays unmoving and silent.

“ _Maggie_? “ Alex says a little louder, using her name for the first time.

Still, there is no reaction from the cop. Alex sucks in a shaky breath while her mind pictures the most extreme thoughts so vividly, _Maggie is dead-_ No, no, she refuses to believe that. She prays silently, to the universe, it’s not fair, if anything, _it should’ve been her,_ she will be dead by the end of the month anyway. Alex shuts her eyes when the ceiling breaks apart and crumbles, a cloud of dust moves away to reveal Kara and James.

“ Alex! “ the Kryptonian rushes to her sister and breaks her restrains easily, “ Are you okay?“

Without saying anything, Alex is stumbling towards Maggie who is being tended to by James. Her ankle hurts, way more than it should for a sprain, but she ignores it and pushes on till she’s beside Maggie.

“ I-Is she okay? “ Alex croaks out fearfully.

James nods under his armour, “ Her pulse is weak but she’ll be okay. “ his distorted voice replies.

And that’s the last thing Alex hears before she collapses on the floor, in relief and also in exhaustion.

* * *

 

Alex wakes up after a long sleep, or at least it felt like one. She feels better, refreshed, though her body ached in multiple spots, it doesn’t bother her much since she is used to getting injured on missions. The agent is given her own room, probably a demand made by Kara, Alex speculates. Kara is asleep in a chair next to her, her head is drooping to one side and she has her arms crossed over her chest. Alex pushes herself up into a sitting position and winces when her wrists hurt, she lifts her hands to see bruises around her wrists. Her mind flickers to Maggie-

“ Hey, you’re up. “ Kara heaves a soft sigh of relief as she hovers over Alex.

The agent nods with an assuring smile, “ How’s Maggie? “

“ She has a mild concussion but she’ll be fine, Cadmus tried to place a chip into her, but we’ve removed it, “ Kara answers, “ worry about yourself first, how are you feeling? “

“ A little sore, but I can take it, “ Alex answers truthfully, knowing that lying won’t get her anywhere now, “ what’s the chip for? “

Kara shakes her head at her sister, “ Winn is decrypting it, stop thinking about work, you need to rest. “ she chides.

“ Okay, I heard you, “ Alex drawls, “ how did you find us? “

“ I was patrolling, someone reported hearing gunfire in the east, “ Kara explains, “and James was in the vicinity too, so we went to check it out together. “

“ And turns out it was Cadmus. “

“ Yeah, and you worried me, what were you doing there? “

“ Maggie called about a tip off, and the real Hank Henshaw is alive. “

Kara’s face twists into confusion, “ How? “

“ Cadmus saved him, “ Alex’s shoulders rise, “ he’s a cyborg now. “

“ Seems like we’ve got our hands full with Cadmus now … “ Kara frowns and a crinkle forms.

“ Hey, “ Alex reaches for Kara’s hand, “ it’ll be fine. “

Kara purses her lips, “ I hope so. “

The alarm in the DEO blares loudly, signalling that there is an emergency somewhere that requires Supergirl.

Alex looks pointedly at her sister, “ Go, I’ll be fine, there’s someone out there who needs you more. “

Kara bites her lower lip and nods, “ I’ll be back soon, be careful not to put too much weight on your ankle, it needs time to heal. “

“ Yes mom, now hurry. “ Alex drawls as she urges her sister to go.

She sees a flash of blue and Kara is gone from the room. The agent swings her legs of the bed and limps her way to the medical bay, using the walls to steady herself on the way. Everyone else is buzzing around the DEO due to the alarm, she hears bits and pieces of information, an alien attack, but she tunes everything out when she sees Maggie.

“ Danvers! “ Maggie’s face light up when she spots the agent.

“ Glad to see that you’re not dead, Sawyer. “ Alex jokes, she can’t help but smile at the cop.

Maggie rolls her eyes as Alex takes a seat next to her, “ Same goes. “

“ You had me worried back there. “

“ I’m tougher than you think, Danvers. “

“ Wouldn’t doubt it, tiny cop. “

Maggie rolls her eyes, “ Anyway, how cool is this place? “

Alex watches the detective talk animatedly about the DEO, how everything in here seems so advanced. The agent doesn’t mind though, she’s been feeling uneasy for a long time, since she’s gotten her soulmate clock. But with Maggie, somehow it feels like everything is going to work out in the end, like she can finally enjoy a little bit of peace in her soul. Alex wants to spend her remaining days to get to know the lady a little better instead of roaming the streets, attempting to find her soulmate. Every cloud has a silver lining, and though Alex doesn’t want to admit it, _Maggie is her silver lining in this storm._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i hope you liked it  
> you can find me on tumblr @ damnsawyer.tumblr.com!


	3. chaos theory

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello this almost took two weeks again fml, i'm going to ramble a lil here but u can skip it idm  
> this chapter would've been done much sooner if i didn't buy overwatch like three days ago welp.  
> but ok it's out now and i just wanted to say i put a lil bit of my soul into this chapter, so it'll be rly nice if u could leave a comment or somethin.  
> anw im getting this feeling that this fic might flop (which i rly hope it doesnt), but i'm done rambling now thnk u for reading i love u.

_Three hundred and seven hours and four minutes._

Alex feels her clock is ticking down faster with every passing day. She _hates_ it, she _hates_ seeing that miniscule timer embedded in her skin, _she hates how with every look she’s one step closer to death_. Alex despises it to the extent that it’s beginning to affect her mood, she’s become more irritable at work and she drinks more than she should when she’s alone.

J’onn begins to notice, but he holds back on reading the agent’s mind, wanting Alex to talk to him on her own accord. They haven’t talked about it, and he could tell that Alex doesn’t want to talk about it. He understands that she needs her space, and he respects that as much as he worries for her. But, judging by the way Alex takes her anger out on the other agents, J’onn decides to step in by letting her take it out on him instead.

Alex lunges at J’onn and he easily dodges, she’s off today, just as she has been for the past few days. Though her ankle has hardly recovered, Alex is stubborn and she started sparring against agents as soon as she could put a little weight on it, of course, without her sister knowing. J’onn watches her as they circle each other, he knows better than to throw the first punch, and it’s something she’s forgotten in the midst of all her anger. Frustration builds within the agent as her fists continuously collide with the air, it seems like nothing is going her way at all. The Martian senses that she is getting tired, so he waits for her to lunge at him again. When she does, J’onn ends the fight in one swift move, using the force of her strength against her, he forces her onto her back. Alex exhales sharply through her nose as she looks up at the lights.

“ You’ve been distracted lately, “ J’onn begins to say as he morphs back into his human skin, “ how are you feeling? “

Alex grunts and sits up, “ I’m fine. “

“ Talk to me, Alex, “ the Martian says gently, “ you are not alone. “

The agent’s eyes dart to the floor, her eyes moving slightly as she contemplates between opening up to J’onn and shutting him out. She picks the latter.

“ I said I’m fine. “

“ Alex, I was alone for centuries, I can empathise with how you feel. “

“ No, no you can’t, J’onn! “ Alex explodes, letting out all her pent up emotions, “ _you’re not the one dying in less than two weeks!_ “ but there is more to what’s bothering her than just that.

J’onn stays silent, he knows that there’s nothing he could possibly say or do to ease the weight of death that rests heavily upon her shoulders.

“ I know you care, J’onn, “ Alex inhales deeply and controls her emotions, “ but this isn’t something that talking will solve. “

The Martian reasons gently, “ But opening up can alleviate your pain. “

Alex lets a humourless laugh escape her throat, “ This pain is the only thing that reminds me of how _cruel_ the universe is, and maybe I like it because _it’s the only thing that makes me feel something now._ “

“ You don’t have to be so hard on yourself, you’re surrounded by family and friends who care. “

“ They’re part of my pain too, I can’t tell my mother because I _can’t_ bear to see the look on her face when she finds out her daughter is dying at the end of the month! “ the agent bristles at the Martian.

“ Wouldn’t she be more heartbroken if you suddenly vanished one day? “

“ _Maybe it’s better that way, maybe it’s easier for me to just disappear rather than counting down the days till I actually go!_ “

Nothing is getting through to her, and J’onn knows that, but he’s not going to give up on her so easily. When he promised Jeremiah he would take care of his daughters, that includes protecting them from themselves.

A tense silence hangs in the air as neither one speaks, there’s nothing that they could say to fix the situation, so they leave it up to time, despite the irony of the agent lacking exactly that. Alex exhales sharply and pinches the bridge of her nose, when J’onn remains quiet, she declares the conversation over. Picking herself off the ground, she exits the room with a slight limp.

_Three hundred and seven hours._

* * *

 

“ _Detective Sawyer_ , what are you doing here? “ Kara asks with a tinge of surprise in her voice as she adjusts her glasses.

“ Hey little Danvers, Maggie’s fine, and I’m here for your boss. “ Maggie answers with a smile as she stands outside James Olsen’s office.

“ James? “ Kara widens her eyes slightly as she turns to look into his office and sees him beckoning the detective to enter.

Maggie nods and flashes a quick smile at the reporter, “ I’ll see you around. “

“ What brings you here, detective? “

“ We got a new tip, figured it’s a little too urgent to wait for our usual meeting day, “ Maggie replies as she hands him a file containing all the information the NCPD has, “ we have to stop Cadmus soon. “

“ And we will. “ James bobs his head as he opens the file and scans through the documents.

Ever since Maggie caught a glimpse of Guardian’s face at the DEO after the Cadmus incident, they’ve been working together, _a cop and a vigilante._ Since James was a good friend of Superman’s, it saved Maggie the effort of tracking him down and doing extensive background checks. Guardian didn’t think twice before deciding to enter this partnership, it worked, _and_ _they worked well._

“ Give me a heads up before you throw yourself at them this time, Olsen. “ Maggie reminds as she prepares to leave.

James chuckles lightly, “ Don’t worry, I can handle them. “

“ This isn’t a question, “ Maggie crosses her arms, she squints at the photographer, “ I could arrest you right now, _vigilante._ “

“ I heard you, Sawyer. “

“ Good. “

Kara watches them intently, she initially wanted to avoid listening in on their conversation until James started laughing. Her eyes widened at the fact that Maggie knew that James is Guardian, her mind races with various possibilities at just how the detective could have known. _Well, she is a detective after all._ The Kryptonian is too absorbed in her own world to realise that Maggie has already left when she looks up from her desk. Standing up, she barges into James’ office.

“ How does _Maggie_ know you’re Guardian? “ Kara demands in a panicked whisper.

“ She saw my face at the DEO, and now we’re working together, “ James leans on his desk and answers like it’s no big deal, “ how do you know her? “

“ I met her on a case once, she works with Alex. Kind of, I guess. “ Kara’s crinkle forms in between her eyebrows and she adjusts her glasses.

“ She’s instinctive, and overall a great detective, I’ll give you that. “ James’ lips crack into a small smile.

Kara hums quietly, “ Alex talks about her a lot too. “

“ Speaking of Alex, I haven’t seen her in a while, are we still on for movie night tonight? “

“ Of course, don’t forget the potstickers. “ Kara beams widely as she clasps her hands together excitedly.

A grin finds its way onto James’ face and he shakes his head slightly, “ Alright, alright, now get back to work, Miss Danvers. “

The gang usually had game night on Fridays, or at least that was the case until Kara started bringing Lena to game nights a few months ago. They could only take so many losses in Monopoly, after all, the Luthor was unrelenting when it came to game nights. So Winn suggested movie night, but really, they all knew it was just an excuse so he could make them watch all the Star Wars movies with him.  

* * *

 

_Three hundred and fifty-five minutes._

Alex’s knuckles collide against Kara’s wooden door, she’s a little late, not because she had extra work at the DEO but rather she needed time to clear her head.

The door swings open to reveal her sister, “ About time, did you have stuff to do at the DEO? “ Kara asks as she steps out of the apartment and closes the door behind her.

“ Yeah, I’ve been busy, “ Alex lies smoothly and raises an eyebrow at Kara, “ what’s wrong? “

“ I just wanted to talk. “ Kara says as she plays with the hem of her shirt and Alex can instantly tell she’s hiding something.

Alex crosses her arms across her chest, sensing that it’s an upsetting topic, “ About what? “

“ _Your clock_ , “ Kara exhales and points to Alex’s arm, she speaks as if she’s treading on eggshells around Alex, “ are you going to tell them? “

Alex’s jaw clenches, she’s thankful that the sleeves of her shirt are hiding her timer so she doesn’t have to see it, drawing a breath into her lungs, her answer is a brief ‘ _no_ ’.

“ They should know, Alex, “ The younger Danvers looks at her older sister and her blue eyes are filled with concern, “ _they’re family too._ “

“ All the more reason I shouldn’t tell them, “ Alex scoffs and paces in the corridor, “ I don’t see the need to hurt them unnecessarily. “ Alex’s reason is the same all the time, because she doesn’t want to burden them with her emotions.

“ What about Eliza? Are you ever going to tell her? “ Kara questions with a tinge of infuriation in her tone and her hands on her hips,“ you can’t just keep her in the dark like this! “

“ Watch me, “ Alex glowers at the Kryptonian who is getting on her nerves, “ it’s my choice whether I want to let them know or not! “

Kara exhales sharply through her nostrils, frustration is building up within her and she’s trying to keep her temper in check, “ I respect that, but you’ve changed in the past few days, Alex. Could you at least just tell me what’s going on? “

“ Look, Kara, I didn’t come here to argue, it’s _my_ clock, “ Alex pinches the bridge of her nose and takes a deep breath, “ I’ll handle it myself, so can we please just drop this? “

Kara bites the inside of her cheek and nods, she knows Alex is stubborn and the last thing she wants is for her to shut herself away from everyone else completely.

“ Fine, okay, “ Kara huffs and opens the door, “ how’s your ankle doing? “

Alex shrugs it off, and steps into the apartment, “ I’m fine. “

“ You’re still limping. “ Kara points out.

Alex grunts and she proceeds to join the gang in the living room, and she notes that everyone is already present.

“ Alex, it’s nice to see you, how are you feeling? “ James greets her with a warm smile when she plops herself down next to the photographer.

“ I’m good, apart from having a really sore ankle. “ Alex grumbles as she leans against the soft cushions.

James chuckles softly, “ I’m sure that’s not stopping you from locking up hostile aliens. “

Alex forces her lips into a small grin, “ You’re right about that. “

“ Since everyone’s here, we can finally start! “ Winn declares happily as he hops into a bean bag on the floor.

The lights in the apartment are dimmed and the movie begins to play on the television. Kara is curled up against Lena on the other couch but Alex feels the Kryptonian’s gaze constantly on her. Though she tries her best to focus on the movie, she can’t, there’s too much noise in her head. Halfway through, she grabs her jacket and stands up from the couch with every intention of leaving.

“ Alex, where are you going? “ Winn is the first person to notice her figure leaving in the dark.

“ Home. “ Alex responds curtly without turning around.

“ Why? Is the movie bad? “ Winn asks worriedly, he knows better than to offend her right now.

“ I’m just tired. “

Lena speaks up instead, “ Are you okay, Alex? Do you want to talk or- “

“ Fine, fine! I’m dying, okay? _I’m fucking dying in three hundred hours, and that’s less than thirteen days!_ “ Alex explodes, feeling all her frustration and resentment pour out through every word, “ Leave me alone because there’s nothing anyone can do! “

She doesn’t look back, her hand is on the door knob and she’s out of Kara’s apartment, slamming the wooden door behind her. Alex draws a deep breath and uses the back of her hand to wipe away the tears that escaped her lashes, she hardly loses control over her emotions, and she hates it when she does. She storms to her bike and she’s grateful that no one followed her out the door because she’s certain her words would carry more venom. The agent straddles her bike with no intention of returning to her silent apartment. She revs her engine, speeding off in the direction of the dingy dive bar, hoping that she’ll drink herself unconscious.

_Two hundred and ninety-nine hours and forty-five minutes._

* * *

 

The agent is on her third drink, her elbows are propped on the counter with her chin resting in her hand. Her head is still buzzing with thoughts but all she can focus on are the sounds of other patrons in the bar, the aliens that reminisce a little too loudly, a boisterous laugh once in a while which is usually followed by the sound of glass hitting the wooden table. Alex is glad, for the noise silences the racing thoughts in her head.

“ Danvers, what are you doing here? “

Her heart pauses momentarily and she takes a little while to process the voice thanks to all the alcohol in her system. Alex looks up from her glass and turns to face the voice, _Maggie Sawyer_ sits beside her at the counter. The detective tilts her head and watches the agent intently with her lips tugged upwards slightly. Alex’s eyes dart down to Maggie’s lips for a split second, thinking how amazing it would feel to be able to just _kiss_ the detective there and then. She stops herself before she actually does and pulls her eyes away to look at her almost empty glass.

“ Drinking, what else could I be doing here? “ Alex responds sarcastically and swallows the entire glass in one gulp.

Maggie’s shoulders rise, “ Well, you’re hardly ever here unless you’re playing pool with me. “

“ I just needed a drink to clear my head. “ Alex murmurs, hoping that the detective would get the hint and leave her alone, as much as the agent wants her to stay.

Maggie hums quietly and she speaks with concern, “ _Are you okay?_ “

In the past few days, the meaning of ‘okay’ has unhinged itself from the word entirely in Alex’s head. ‘Okay’ and ‘fine’ are just words to reassure people that somehow she’s still coping, _that she’s still here_. The only day where she won’t be here to reassure them is the day her clock ticks down from a string of numbers to a bunch of zeros. They were all just lies and excuses that she could not delude even herself into believing, _so why should anyone else believe her words?_

“ _No_. “ Alex says honestly, it comes out as a faint whisper and she hardly hears herself, but Maggie does.

“ Let’s go somewhere. “ Maggie is on her feet, taking Alex by the hand and leading her out of the dingy, depressing bar.

“ I’m not in the mood, Sawyer. “ Alex grumbles as she tugs her hand free, though she desperately wants a hand to hold.

Maggie turns, a disappointed expression flashes on her face for a split second before it’s replaced by a gentle, inviting smile, the one that makes Alex’s insides clench and melt, the one that lets her heart breathe with ease. She assumes this is the kind of smile that writers and poets all write about, the _heart-stopping_ , the _take your breath away_ ones, the ones that only exist in fiction, _because Maggie Sawyer always feels so surreal to her._

“ _Trust me, Danvers_. “ the detective extends her hand to the agent, hoping that she would take it.

Alex looks to the ground then to the cop, she exhales softly through her mouth, muttering an inaudible ‘okay’ and places her hand Maggie’s soft palm. The cop’s lips tug upwards into a huge smile, intertwining their fingers, she leads them to her bike because Alex is nowhere sober enough to drive.

“ Hang on. “ Maggie instructs and Alex places her hands on the cop’s shoulders, but the detective guides her arms and wraps them around her waist instead.

Alex’s breathing hitches slightly, but in her mildly drunken state, she chooses to indulge herself in Maggie’s warmth instead of pulling away. Alex has been subtly avoiding Kara for a while, small actions like leaving the room when the Kryptonian enters, to intentionally missing phone calls. After lashing out at her just now, she really doubts they’ll talk for a few days. She misses having someone to hold her when she’s upset, or having someone to talk to, most of all, she misses having the presence of someone who she feels comfortable with.

The duo sets off into the empty streets where the looming shadows are their only form of company. Halfway through the ride, Alex feels the exhaustion begin to kick in, from the long day at work and also from holding up her strong facade. Her head droops lower and lower, eventually, she’s resting her head against the detective’s back with her eyes shut. Maggie doesn’t mind even though it feels a little uncomfortable, a distant memory replays in her head, reminding her of _a different presence accompanied by the same warm emotions_ , she forces the memory away and focuses on Alex’s presence instead. 

“ Danvers, we’re here. “ Maggie’s soft voice rouses the agent out of her sleep.

Alex blinks and sits up a little straighter and mumbles something along the lines of an apology. She sobers up quickly, the effects of the alcohol are beginning to fade away. Rubbing the fatigue from her eyes, she surveys the area. A park. Maggie stands on a path a few steps ahead of the agent and beckons her to follow.

“ Are you sure that there’s no aliens or dead bodies here? “ Alex jokingly asks with a little yawn as she follows Maggie.

Maggie laughs, “ Oh yeah, I’m pretty sure. “

“ Why did you bring me to a park? “ Alex questions with curiosity, the dim lamps that light the way aren’t bright enough for her to clearly see Maggie’s face, but it’s enough for Alex to make out her small figure.

“ It’s where I come to think, “ Maggie explains as she reveals a piece of herself to the agent, “ you could say it’s kind of my spot. “

Alex recognizes the place that Maggie is speaking of instantly when they arrive at the top of a hill at a little clearing. The grass is a little overgrown and slightly damp, there was a light shower earlier on and the grey clouds have not dissipated, leaving the tall trees nearby dripping. In the distance, the view of the city is nothing more than silhouettes of gargantuan buildings accompanied by a series of dull lights. A gentle breeze picks up, ruffling the bushes and it envelopes them in a chilly, tranquil silence, with the exception of the shrill sounds made by the cicadas in the dark. Alex’s eyes are fixated on the view and she doesn’t realise the breath she’s holding until Maggie speaks next to her.

“ It’s a nice view, isn’t it? “

Alex exhales slowly and nods, “ It’s beautiful. “

Maggie takes a seat on the grass with her hands behind her, not minding that it’s slightly wet, she pats the ground next to her, signalling Alex to sit. And Alex does, she takes a step back and lowers herself onto the ground, her arm brushes against Maggie’s as she hugs her legs, resting her chin on her knees. They don’t speak, not for a while at least. Alex takes her time to soak in the scenic overlook, a wave of melancholy washes over her and it makes her wonder _how much she’ll miss out on when she’s gone._

“ Do you wanna talk about what’s bothering you? Or I could tell you something about myself and we could trade turns. “ Maggie suggests after a long silence.

“ Do you always come here? “ Alex keeps her eyes straight ahead, facing National City instead of Maggie.

Maggie sighs softly, there’s an _emptiness_ inside her that grows when she speaks, “ After my parents kicked me out, I lived with an aunt, and I came here every day after school. It gradually stopped, and now I come here when I need some quiet time. “

“ Why did you stop? “ Alex’s gaze moves from the city to the detective next to her.

“ I switched schools after I was outed, and again, I was an outcast, “ Maggie’s shoulders sag slightly as she looks to the ground, “ and there was this girl, she was the first person to make me feel I was valid and I brought her here all the time. “

“ _You loved her_. “ Alex states.

“ How could I not? “ Maggie bobs her head slightly, a certain sadness clings to her words as they get more and more inaudible, but a slight smile still hangs on her lips, “ she made the world colorful again, she made me excited to live, _she made me who I am_. “

A gust of wind howls faintly, and Alex speaks, “ What happened? “

Maggie scoffs and lets out a dry laugh before it’s replaced with a tone laced with devastation, “ Lots of things got in the way, it’s easier to say what didn’t happen. Somewhere along the lines of loving her, I lost myself. “

The agent tilts her head upwards to the clouds, her hatred for the universe grows with every word Maggie speaks, how could they bear to hurt someone like her? _How dare they?_

“ I realised that there was too much of me and too little of her, we wouldn’t have worked out in the long run, so I ended things before it got too messy. “

“ But the damage was already done, wasn’t it? “

Maggie exhales and lies down on the prickly grass with her hands behind her head, “ She took a piece of me when I left, I built my home in her and suddenly I was alone again. Sometimes I hate the universe, but everyone you meet either takes or leaves a piece. “

“ Hating the universe should be my full time job. “ Alex mutters as she lies next to Maggie.

A raspy laugh escapes Maggie’s throat as the pair stares up at the night sky. They are far enough from the city to see the myriad of stars light up the dark sky, despite the gloomy grey clouds, they still shine like tiny gems against the black heavens. A blue white scar flashes across the skies and it’s followed by a faint clap of thunder in the distance.  

“ What do you think of the soulmate clock? “ Alex licks her lips and inquires, placing her interlocked fingers over her abdomen.

There’s silence from Maggie, only because she doesn’t know how to reply, but she tries anyway, “ It’s both beautiful and tragic at the same time, _don’t you think it’s insane that whether you live or die depends on someone else?_ “

Alex feels a wave of emotions wash over her as she stares up at the twinkling stars, “ It is, it’s not fair too, it just sounds like another form of natural selection to me. “

“ You could look at it that way, “ Maggie shifts and turns her neck to look at Alex, “ or you could imagine how _great_ life would be knowing that there’s someone out there who loves you just as much as you love them. “

“ _What if they don’t want to find you?_ “

Alex’s words cut like knives and Maggie pauses, though it isn’t exactly uncommon for people to give up on their soulmates, she’s never really thought of the possibility of it happening to her. But still, she chooses to remain optimistic, thinking that Alex needed to hear something positive.

“ I’m a detective, I’ll find them instead, “ Maggie jokes with a tinge of seriousness in her voice, “ I won’t believe they’ll turn me away when I’m knocking on their door. “

Alex smirks to herself, no one would’ve guessed that Maggie Sawyer believes in this kind of stuff, “ So you believe in love and the soulmate clock, Detective Sawyer? “

“ Well, don’t you, Agent Danvers? “

“ I’m skeptical because of this hide and seek game my soulmate is playing, Sawyer. “

“ _Well, you have the time, don’t you?_ “

Alex hesitates, she brings her arm up to pinch the bridge of her nose and she sees the seconds ticking away on her wrist.

Her lungs feel a little constricted as she sucks in a shaky breath, “ How much time is considered enough? “

“ I don’t know, Danvers, “ Maggie answers softly with a shrug of her shoulders, “ I suppose we’ll think it’s never enough. “

“ Maybe you’re right, “ Alex sits up and runs a hand through her hair, she stares out into the horizons where the clouds are beginning to darken, “ why do you think the universe puts us through this? “

“ To make you question your existentialism, “ Maggie replies sarcastically with soft laugh, “ one moment you’re in control of your life and the next ‘ _it’s hunt for this one person or you’ll die_ ’, and I’m assuming the countdown doesn’t help very much. “

Alex tenses at the accuracy of Maggie’s statement, she swallows, trying to get rid of the lump of inarticulation in her throat. How does Maggie phrase everything out so easily?

Maggie sees a frown form on the agent’s face despite the low light, so she reaches out and nudges Alex softly, “ Take it with a pinch of salt, I was just joking, I haven’t even gotten my clock yet. “

“ It’s just … you’re right, “ Alex sighs honestly, she feels herself choking up, “ I’ve been really affected by it, it’s making me lose control. “

Maggie pushes herself up with her hands, “ Everyone’s afraid of something, Danvers, and being afraid of dying isn’t bad, _it’s human_. “ she says lightly as she runs a soothing hand down Alex’s back.

Alex hugs her knees and rests her chin on top of them, her throat feels dry as the words leave her lips in a strangled voice, “ It’s not just that, it’s more than that … I don’t think I can find my soulmate in time, I’m afraid of leaving everyone else behind and I can’t tell anyone because- “

Maggie’s arms find their way around Alex’s frame and she pulls the agent a little closer with no intention of letting go, _hoping that her presence would keep the agent together for as long as she needs._ Alex melts in Maggie’s grasp and she clutches the sleeves of the detective’s leather jacket tightly.

“ There are things in this world you can’t do a damn thing about, “ Maggie runs her thumb in reassuring circles on Alex’s arm, “ and _this_ is one of them. “

Alex shifts her eyes slightly so she can look at the detective, a shred of pale moonlight breaks through the darkening clouds and lights up part of Maggie’s face. Alex recognizes the look in the cop’s eyes, it reflects the way she’s been feeling for the past few days, it’s the look of powerlessness that is accompanied with anguish.

“ I can understand why you feel like can’t tell anyone, because no one can ease your pain, no one can comfort you because they don’t really understand until they’re in your shoes. “

Alex loves and hates the way Maggie is right about everything, but she’s thankful that someone can actually articulate her feelings in proper sentences. She feels a little relieved, but her heart aches for the detective. The universe broke her once and now Alex is seeing into all the cracks on her soul even though she’s reassembled herself, and she sees bits and pieces of herself within the cop. They fall into an uncertain silence, and Maggie continues holding Alex while the agent rests her head against the cop’s arm.

After a good five minutes, Alex breaks the silence, “ So, when’s your big day? “

“ Really soon, actually, “ Maggie answers indifferently, “ I’m not exactly dreading it but I’m not looking forward to it either. “

“ Don’t worry, I wasn’t looking forward to mine too. “

“ The biggest hater of the universe looking forward to getting something from the universe? Feels way too unrealistic. “ Maggie jokes and Alex responds with a soft chuckle.

The heavens rumble menacingly, a whiff of rain hangs in the air, signalling that a storm is approaching soon. The stars are shrouded by grey clouds which have only gotten darker and heavier in the short span of time since the pair’s arrival. Maggie has an arm propped up on her knee, she’s leaning against it, and she studies Alex’s features in the darkness. In that moment, they are just two people, with different problems in different circumstances, the only similarity that exists between them is, _tonight is the first time in a long while that they have been vulnerably honest._

For the longest time, she’s been looking for the first girl she loved in everyone else, in their features, their mannerisms. But when she’s with Alex, _she stops looking_. Maybe it’s more than just the short brown hair, Maggie muses, maybe it’s more than the invisible fractures that can’t be seen with the naked eye.

The first drop of rain lands on Alex’s jeans, and she curses mentally at the universe for constantly ruining things, _can’t she be happy for more than five minutes?_

“ Let’s go before we get caught in a storm. “ Maggie says as she stands up while Alex’s body instantly misses her warmth.

The detective extends her hand out and helps the agent to her feet, they scramble down the path as quickly as they can because the light drizzle is turning into a heavy rain. They’re on the streets in less than five minutes, and the sound of rain drowns out Alex’s voice as she tries her best to direct Maggie to her place. Thankfully, it’s a short downpour, the rain begins to lighten into a drizzle as Maggie pulls up in front of Alex’s apartment building. Alex disembarks first, removing her helmet in the process while Maggie continues straddling her bike with her helmet off.

“ Thanks for tonight, Sawyer, “ Alex smiles as she hands the helmet back to the cop, “ I really appreciate it. “

“ Not at all, Danvers, I hope you’re feeling a little better. “ Maggie’s lips crack into a wide grin as she studies the agent.

Alex runs a wet hand through her hair, awkwardness hangs in the air and she isn’t sure of what she should do, “ I’ll buy you a drink next time. “

Maggie nods briefly, “ Sure. “

“ Right, I’ll catch you then. “

“ See you around, Danvers. “

Alex flashes a quick smile and turns to leave. Maggie’s eyes follow the agent’s dripping figure for a few seconds, before she dismounts from her bike. Alex is hardly a few steps away, and Maggie catches up easily. The detective reaches out and pulls the agent back by the arm, and Alex swivels around with surprise plastered over her face. Their eyes meet for a split second before Maggie’s eyes flit to her lips, and the detective holds back. Only when she returns her gaze to Alex’s orbs does she see the longing within them, she cups Alex’s cheek gently, and decides to lean in. Alex doesn’t pull away, she stands static, partly because she wants this, but mostly it’s due to the fact that she’s too stunned to react.

Their lips collide, gentle and wet and entirely out of the universe’s control. Maggie wonders if this is what perfection tastes like, beautiful with a tinge of leftover tequila. The sound of the rain drowns out her racing heart, she’s almost certain that Alex would hear the deafening beating of her heart if it weren’t for the rain. Maggie calms down a little when Alex presses a hand into the small of her back and pulls her a little closer. Her lips are a little chapped, and the detective thinks that she’s never felt softer lips against hers. A wave of bliss washes over the agent and she savors every moment of their kiss.

When they finally pull apart, Alex takes a step back and hurries away from the detective, leaving her standing perplexed in the drizzle. The agent doesn’t try to catch her breath until she closes her apartment door behind her. Her mind is reeling, trying to process what happened with Maggie, and her legs give way. Alex slides to the ground and buries her face in her hands, she can handle everything else the universe throws at her, but not this, this is something she wasn’t expecting the universe to throw at her.

Things would be so much better if she was a robot, Alex scoffs quietly to herself, _at least she didn’t have to deal with feelings like love._

* * *

 

“ Where were you? “

“ The park. “ Maggie responds as she climbs into bed.

“ What were you doing there? “ the alien shifts a little closer to the detective.

Maggie exhales softly through her nose, “ Thinking. “

“ What are you thinking about? “

“ Nothing. “ her replies are brief, hoping that the Roltikkon would catch on and leave her alone.

“ Come on, Mags. “ her voice is gentle yet pushing.

“ Just a few more days, Darla. “ Maggie says as she shuts her eyes, hoping that if she squeezes her eyelids tight enough, the world would just vanish.

“ And we’re done? “ Darla questions, inching closer to the cop, their skins touch but there is no passion between them.

“ And we’re done. “ the detective confirms.

Darla runs her fingers gently against her skin, her raspy voice speaks, “ Are you sure about this? “

Maggie nods, opening her eyes to stare up at the dark ceiling, “ _That was the deal, remember?_ “

“ Do you think you could ever fall in love with me? “

“ Darls …

“ Answer me, _Maggie._ “

Darla found her answer in Maggie’s silence, the steady breathing of the cop told her more than she needed to know. But she continues speaking anyway.

“ Something inside you was broken, and I thought if I loved you hard enough, I could fix you, like my love could keep you together. But in the end, you broke a piece of me. “

“ We’re all a little broken, fractured, a little too empty with the exception of the little things that remind us of another person, from another time. “

“ Someone once told me two broken people can’t be together, I wondered why but never asked, but I think I know the answer a little too clearly now. “

“ And what’s that? “

“ What we create is chaos, it will never be love. “

Maggie turns to the Roltikkon, the darkness hides the despair on her face but not the pain in her voice.

“ _This is why I don’t let myself fall in love._ “

Darla hums a quiet response, laced with anguish, and turns away from the detective, she’s paying the consequences of playing with fire. It’s a heavy price and they’re both paying for it. This had been their arrangement from the first time they met. As soon as Maggie gets her soulmate clock, they would end their relationship. After all, the Roltikkon acted as a replacement, _a replacement for the girl she had once poured all her love to but can’t bear to hear her name now._

And in return, Maggie gave her body, her time, her affection, everything. Everything except for her feelings, this is one thing they’ve both agreed to keep to themselves, but it’s evident that Darla gave too much of herself. The love she has exists in copious amounts, and she’s tired of giving it to the wrong person, so she doesn’t try.

She shifts her gaze from the ceiling to Darla, the gentle moonlight reflects against her skin and it makes the Roltikkon gorgeous in the night. And their relationship is just like that, beautiful and perfect from certain angles, certain eyes, but to her, nothing could ever fit the epitome of perfection, _except for Alex._

In just less than two weeks, Maggie will be twenty-two, and on her journey to search for that person who is deserving of her love, someone who she can build her home in. Maybe only then will love fix her fractured soul and make her whole again.

* * *

 

“ You seem distracted tonight, Mags, what’s up? “ Camille asks the moment they end their pool game.

Maggie sighs and shrugs, she’s been feeling a strange heaviness in her heart since the other night with Alex, “ Probably just fatigue kicking in. “

Camille squints her eyes and eyes Maggie suspiciously, her tone is laced with disapproval, “ It’s that _agent_ , isn’t it? “

The detective grabs her drink and heads for the counter, her response is curt, “ Maybe. “

“ Maybe? Are you for real? “ the anger within the alien is building steadily.

Maggie props her elbows on the counter and murmurs, “ She’s been ignoring me for days, Cam, I don’t know what I should do now. “

“ Let’s talk about what you did first before we talk about what you should do. Details, detective. “ Camille says as she hops onto a stool next to the cop.

“ I kissed her. “

Camille stares at the cop with widened eyes and a gaping mouth, and silence falls upon them despite the noisy atmosphere of the bar. Maggie takes a few swigs of her beer while Camille tries to utter something coherent.

“ _You what?_ “ is the best the alien could muter.

“ _I kissed her._ “ Maggie repeats, her brain clings onto every word that rolls out of her tongue.

Only then does Maggie process what she really did, it’s not a bad dream, _it’s real._ The past few days have passed by in a haze, though she constantly hopes for a reply from the agent, it never comes. She’d even take examining a rotting corpse with Alex now.

“ What about Darla? “ Camille asks in a hushed whisper.

Maggie exhales, no one else knew of their agreement, so her shock is natural, “ We’re almost finished. “

Camille scoffs, a tinge of revulsion clings to her words, “ After all this time, and everything she’s done for you, another girl walks into your life and boom, you’re gone. “

“ It’s not like that, Cam, “ Maggie looks to her friend with pleading eyes, hoping that the alien would understand, “ you know me. “

“ Yeah, maybe, but not anymore, the Maggie Sawyer I know doesn’t fucking cheat. “ Camille spits and walks off without another word.

Maggie sits at the counter and she doesn’t turn to watch Camille leave, instead, she looks down at the table. She clenches her hands into fists, her nails dig into her palms and leave marks on her flesh. A hand gently touches her balled fists, urging her to relax, and Maggie would recognize that hand anywhere.

“ I heard everything, “ Darla says in a soothing tone, “ If you want to, I could tell her. “

Maggie shakes her head and relaxes her hands, her nails have left visible crescent shapes on her palm, but she doesn’t care.

“ On my birthday, Darls, I’ll keep my word. “

Darla nods and squeezes her arm gently, “ _There’s no point if your heart is already with someone else, Mags._ “

The detective makes a ‘tsch’ sound under her breath and she takes another swig of her beer. Darla decides to leave her alone, understanding that she probably needs time to figure out if her feelings are real or it’s merely just an infatuation. 

* * *

 

They haven't spoken for a few days, or rather Alex doesn’t respond to Maggie’s texts and calls. Maggie finds herself at the DEO after Alex ignores her for a week, she isn’t used to being ignored and she’s constantly second guessing herself, wondering if she screwed up the only friendship that really mattered to her. Nonetheless, she isn’t leaving the DEO without a reasonable answer from Alex Danvers.

Alex is in her lab, staring intently at some documents on the table. She’s too engrossed to notice Maggie’s presence at the door, and the detective watches her for a short while before colliding her knuckles against the glass door of the agent’s lab. Alex’s eyes slowly look up to meet Maggie’s, her expression twists from serious to shocked.

“ I hope I’m not disturbing. “ Maggie says from the door.

Alex licks her lips and shakes her head, “ What are you doing here? “

“ Well, “ Maggie crosses her arms across her chest, “ you weren’t returning my texts or calls, Danvers. “

The agent bites her lips and nods, she plays with her fingers nervously as Maggie’s eyes track her every move.

“ I was thinking, we should talk, “ Maggie begins to say, she gestures with her hands, “ _about what happened._ “

Alex feels a sense of dread beginning to creep up her back, she swallows, “ I’m a little busy now, how about another time? “ she lies hopefully.

“ Tonight, at the bar, I’ll be there till late, “ Maggie nods, “ if you don’t show, I’ll assume you want nothing to do with me anymore. “

The cop turns and leaves before the agent could give her an answer, after all, she hasn’t given her a response in a week. She heaves a quiet sigh of relief once she exits the building, she’s been preparing herself for this confrontation for days and she’s glad she finally got it off her chest. Now she had to prepare herself for an even more nerve-wracking conversation that might not happen.

 _Great_ , Alex thinks to herself, if only she had responded to Maggie’s texts and calls, she’d be able to avoid this conversation then.

She leans back into her chair and stares up at the bright white lights, her mind feels spent from looking at documents for hours, and now she has to deal with her feelings. Alex dreads the conversation that they are going to have, not showing is definitely not an option because she enjoyed the detective’s presence a little too much.

 _Maybe it won’t be that bad_ , Alex tries to convince herself despite her heart filling with dread by the minute. Maggie did initiate the kiss after all, _so how bad could it really be?_ An image of Darla flashes in her mind and she leans forward, it could really be bad. _Maybe Maggie wanted to tell her it was a mistake, maybe Maggie regrets it._ She sucks in a shaky breath to calm her heart, though it doesn’t stop it from rising into a deafening crescendo.

The agent has her attention on her work when her phone vibrates against her leg, she swiftly pulls it out of her pocket and glances at the caller.

_Lena._

Lena rarely calls, both of them preferred to talk face to face but Alex keeps her number in case Kara gets too carried away with her girlfriend and ignores her calls. She feels guilty for exploding at movie night when the Luthor was just being concerned, still rather puzzled, she answers.

“ Alex? “ Lena’s voice is laced with a tinge of worry.

“ Lena, is something wrong? “ Alex furrows her eyebrows as she pushes her work aside, she has a feeling whatever Lena is about to tell her could be important.

“ Not exactly, have you seen Kara? “

“ I thought she’s supposed to be with you, she told me you guys were having lunch together. “

Lena sighs, “ It’s been an hour and she hasn’t turned up, “ her voice begins to crack as she speaks, I assumed she was busy with something and she’s not picking up at all. I’m getting worried. “

“ I’ll check around, don’t worry too much, she’s Supergirl for a reason. “ Alex assures, even though worry is spiking through her heart.

“ Will you give me a call if you find her? I’m afraid that something may have happened. “ Lena pleads, and Alex empathizes with the Luthor, they both loved the Kryptonian.

“ Of course, Lena. I’ll get back to you soon. “ Alex says as she stands up from her seat.

“ Thank you, Alex. “ Lena says gratefully and ends the call.

Alex shoves her phone into her pocket as she makes her way to the control room. Though the Danvers sisters haven’t had a chance to talk much, Alex figured that she couldn’t spend her last days avoiding Kara like a plague, so she is trying her best to make it back up to Kara by initiating conversations. Though Kara doesn't blame her for her outburst, Alex still feels guilty. J’onn is observing the multiple screens when she enters, but when he turns around to greet her, the worried expression plastered on her face makes him cut to the chase. He didn’t even have to read her mind.

“ What happened, Alex? “ he asks gently.

“ Kara was supposed to meet Lena for lunch over and hour ago, and she didn’t show. She left the DEO a while ago and she’s not picking up her phone. “ Alex explains and exhales from her nose.

J’onn frowns slightly, he knows Kara to be punctual and responsible, there’s no way she would have gone missing like this.

“ I’ll fly around the city, see if I can pick up anything and we’ll go from there, “ J’onn says, “ do not act on your own, you hear me? “

Alex nods, masking all her fear, she’s afraid that if she speaks, her voice would crack too. J’onn places a hand on her shoulder, worried that he might have been a little too fierce, the look in his eyes is mildly reassuring. He leaves when Alex takes a deep breath to calm down.

Her phone vibrates again, she pulls in out quickly in case it’s Lena, but it isn’t. ‘ _Sawyer_ ’ is showing up on her screen, Alex is reminded of what’s taking place tonight and it doesn’t help her mood.

“ Sawyer. “ she acknowledges.

“ Hey Danvers, something came up at work and it’s going to take a while, I’m sorry I have to bail on you tonight. “ Maggie’s voice is the only thing that sounds calming to her right now.

“ No problem, “ Alex says, feeling slightly relieved that she’ll have more time to prepare herself, “ something came up too, another day then? “

“ Of course, “ Maggie says, “ I’ll call you soon. “

Without another word, the detective hangs up and Alex sighs. She has been looking forward to spending time with Maggie, even though they met on cases quite often, Alex loves to hang out at the dive bar with her. Though tonight would have been entirely reversed. Besides, Kara has priority over everything and Alex could never have a peace of mind if her sister is missing.

The agent refocuses on her sister and she tries to think of ways to track Kara, she looks around and her eyes catch Winn. Alex jogs over to the sleeping technician, and shakes him awake.

“ W-Wha- “ he mumbles as his body shoots up, “ I’m not asleep! “

“ Are you awake now? “ Alex demands as she glares at him.

“ Yes … “ Winn shrinks back meekly and nods, afraid that she’ll blow again like that night, “ I’m awake, I’m up, no one has to die. “

Alex relaxes and crosses her arms across her chest, “ I need you to track down Kara. “

Winn looks at her strangely, “ Why? Did she go rogue or something? “

“ Missing. “ is Alex’s only reply because the uneasiness in her chest is rising, and even that comes out strangled.

Winn’s mouth forms a large ‘O’ and he rapidly turns to his screen and begins to furiously type.

“ I’m tracking her Kryptonian DNA but nothing’s turning up, “ Winn says after a while, “ it’s like she’s disappeared from the city. “

Alex shuts her eyes momentarily and pinches the bridge of her nose, “ Do we have alternatives? “

“ No … “ Winn murmurs and leans closer to his screen, “ But I am seeing traces of Kryptonite in the city. “

Alex leans across Winn to verify the data, and true enough, he is right.

“ Where? “ she demands urgently.

Winn points to a place on the map, “ Near that fancy French restaurant in town. “ he replies as he brings up camera footage of the location.

Alex recognizes the place, it’s the restaurant that Kara had mentioned on her birthday. Her eyes notes that there are some sketchy looking people outside and Winn grabs her attention when he speaks.

“ A-Alex, “ he stutters fearfully, “ there’s two people with guns approaching the restaurant. “

“ I’m going, “ Alex declares, knowing that she’s going against J’onn’s orders, “ send a strike team, I’m counting on you. “

“ B-But- “ Winn tries to reason with the older Danvers but she has already sprinted out of the room.

 “ Man … Those Danvers will be the death of me someday … “ he mutters to himself quietly.

Alex runs out of the DEO building while whipping out her phone to call Lena, those people are going for her if she’s still at the restaurant.

“ Alex? Have you found Kara? “ Lena asks hopefully.

“ No, on the contrary, where are you? “ Alex presses as she swings her leg over her bike.

“ About to go back to my office, “ Lena answers, “ has something happened? “

“ Don’t go out the front, someone’s out to get you, “ Alex orders as she speeds off, “ I’m coming. “

She shoves her phone in the pocket of her jacket and prays that nothing will happen to both Kara and Lena. If she didn’t stop the people from hurting Lena, Kara would definitely never forgive her. Alex knows how much her sister loves the Luthor, and even though it’s hardly been half a year since they’ve met, she regards Lena as family already.

Alex swerves through cars and speeds through traffic and makes it to the restaurant in record time. She hops off her bike and has her fingers on her gun instantly. She surveys the area for the hostiles but finds it strange when no one is around at all, this is usually crowded street.

Still, she hurries to the entrance with caution. Alex holds her gun firmly as she enters the restaurant, tables are overturned, chairs are lying in a mess. Seems like the diners had to make a hasty exit because of all the leftover food, and there’s not a single soul in sight. The restaurant is deadly silent, Alex treads on the carpeted floor warily and makes her way to the kitchen.

“ _Alex?_ “ she hears her name from behind in a soft, fearful voice.

The agent swivels around quickly to see Lena poking her head out from under a table, she sighs in relief and quickly approaches the CEO.

“ Are you alright? “ Alex kneels beside the Luthor as she crawls out of her hiding spot.

Lena nods, while Alex looks her up and down just to make sure. The Luthor is thankfully unharmed, though she is clearly shaken up.

“ What’s going on? “ Lena whispers, “ who are those people? “

Alex looks Lena in the eyes and exhales, “ I don’t know but we should get out of here. “

Lena bobs her again while Alex stands and helps her up. She feels the barrel of a gun against the back of her head and Lena gasps when she hears the gun click.

“ I suggest you drop the gun and come with us, “ a gruff voice says from behind, “ that way no one will have to get hurt.

Alex remains composed though it’s a sticky situation since Lena is so close to her and her ankle isn’t completely healed yet.

“ Now! Before I blow her brains out! “ her assailant shifts his aim to Lena.

Alex drops her gun and watches as the man behind her kicks it away, she turns slowly, not wanting to aggravate him further. She etches his features into her memory, he is more than well-built, his muscles are bulging out of a shirt that seems too tight on him. A scar ran along the side of his bald head and he suffers from heterochromia, one iris is black and the other a bright green. His face is mostly covered by a thick black beard. The pistol looks small compared to his large hands, and Alex feels slightly intimidated by his large frame.

Just then, his accomplice, a tiny Asian girl with a gun half her height resting on her shoulder, pops out from the kitchen with an icecream in hand. The man turns to yell at her.

“ For fuck’s sake, Joel, hurry the fuck up. “

“ Relax, Kuzu, they won’t get away. “

The man, presumably Kuzu is clearly enraged at Joel. Alex takes advantage of the situation since he’s distracted, she sends a chop down his wrist and disarms him quickly.

“ Go! “ she urges Lena while she throws her elbow against Kuzu’s face.

Alex grunts as Kuzu retaliates, he swings his large fists at her while she dodges carefully. She observes his every move while blocking all his attacks and when he uses his leg to kick her, Alex is able to avoid him as she steps back.

Kuzu’s jaw clenches, “ Let’s see you dodge this, twinkle toes. “ he lifts a chair off the ground and throws it at the agent.

Alex evades by diving to the side, she rolls and is back up on her feet as quickly as her ankle could handle.

“ Is that the best you’ve got? “ she taunts.

Being on the defense isn’t going to do much, she raises her arms and widens her stance, prepared to take on the gigantic man in front of her. At the corner of her eye, she sees Joel leaping from table to table but Alex has her hands full with Kuzu to be able to ensure Lena’s safety.

Kuzu launches himself at her and Alex stands like a deer in the headlights, he tackles her to the ground and her back hits the ground painfully with a thud. She grunts and delivers a swift blow up his chin, then another to the side of his face before kneeing him in the guts. Though, none of her attacks seem to affect Kuzu very much, he has a shit-eating grin plastered on his face. Alex braces herself as she headbutts her opponent. Kuzu clicks his tongue with a sly smile because the headbutt hurt Alex more than it hurt him. He pins her arms down quickly and Alex struggles against his firm grip, initially she could break free but he easily overpowered her. _If only I had my gun_ , Alex groans mentally, _things are not looking good._

“ Quit squirming, “ Joel grumbles irritatedly, “ you can’t escape anyway. “

Alex cranes her neck to see Joel pressing her pistol against Lena’s head, and the Luthor looks calm, though internally she’s terrified. Lena has escaped multiple situations where her life was at stake, but she has a gut feeling that she might not make it out of this one alive.

“ Don’t hurt her! “ Alex calls out desperately and tries to escape Kuzu’s strong grip.

“ Yeah, yeah, whatever. “ Joel’s shoulders rise nonchalantly as she plunges a syringe into Lena’s neck.

The Luthor’s eyes roll upwards and her body slumps to the ground with a thud.

Joel clasps her hands together with a large grin on her face, “ Well, wasn’t that easy? “

“ What the hell did you do to her? “ Alex demands anxiously, she couldn’t get a clear look at Lena to see if she’s still breathing.

“ You should worry about yourself first, _honey_. “ Joel shoots an innocent smile at the agent.

Joel casually strolls over to Alex and the last thing she feels is a strong, painful blow to her head, before her eyes roll up into an uncertain darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> welp i hope u liked the chapter  
> ngl the maggie/darla scene hits a lil too close to home, and i wrote most of the sanvers scene to the garden of words' ost so give it a listen if ure interested.  
> comments/kudos/bookmarks/subs are all appreciated it just makes me feel happy to know that there are people out there reading my shit.  
> next chapter will mostly be from maggie's pov, so see u in two weeks or more bcus i feel a major block incoming.  
> motivate me @ damnsawyer.tumblr.com  
> xo


	4. dark room

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> slightly shorter chapter bc i had a really bad block lmao  
> but ok new chapter's here!!!  
> i hope y'all like it??? i dunno man writing this was just ???? to me  
> but i brought someone back!!! yay!!!  
> enjoy!!

The hands of the clock on the wall tick away slowly, with clear malice towards the detective. Maggie sits idly at her desk, her creeping anxiety is preventing her from focusing at work. She sighs, resting her chin in her hand. Ever since she came back from her quick trip to the DEO, she’s been feeling a strange sense of uneasiness, like something is going to go wrong tonight. 

“ Sawyer, we’ve got a situation downtown. “ Lucy Lane stands at the door frame after knocking against the wood.

“ What happened? “ Maggie demands, looking up at the chief standing at the entrance.

“ Someone called in an abduction, and they mentioned that the kidnappers weren’t exactly human nor alien, “ Chief Lane reports grimly. 

Maggie nods seriously as she stands from her seat, “ I’ll meet you outside, I just need to make a quick call. “

The chief bobs her head understandingly and leaves without another word. Maggie wonders if this is a sign from the universe, maybe Alex won’t even show tonight. Nonetheless, she whips her phone out and look for Alex’s contact. Pressing the phone against her ear, she listens to it ring. _Once, twice_.

“ Sawyer. “

Maggie exhales quietly after masking all signs of emotion from her voice, she speaks in her usual, carefree tone, “ Hey Danvers, something came up at work and it’s going to take a while, I’m sorry I have to bail on you tonight. “

“ No problem, “ Alex answers coolly, “ something came up too, another day then? “

“ Of course, “ Maggie says while she paces around the room, “ I’ll call you soon. “

The detective lets out a breath she unknowingly held for the duration of the short call, she ponders if Alex even cares about their friendship at all. But judging by Alex’s response, it is safe to say that the agent was planning to appear at least. Shoving all thoughts aside, Maggie grabs her oversized police windbreaker and heads out of her office. 

In the course of ten minutes, the NCPD has multiple squad cars on the streets, racing their way downtown. The buildings whizz past in a flash and the blaring sirens are all Maggie can hear. Within the short time span of leaving her office to strapping on a bulletproof vest, the situation has gotten tenfold worse. A widespread panic ensued after news spread the kidnappers turned out to be hostiles with alien weaponry, a nagging feeling of uneasiness tugs away at Maggie’s heart but she chooses to ignore it.

When the NCPD arrives downtown, they aren’t the only ones there. The DEO’s squad cars are parked on the opposite end of the street and their agents are advancing towards to entrance of the restaurant. The clear blue skies are a stark contrast to the way she feels inside and she wonders if Alex is there too. Maggie is the first to get out of the car, she surveys her surroundings with caution. Fearful eyes watch anxiously from the windows of nearby buildings, yet there is no signs of the hostiles anywhere on the streets. Her eyes catch a glimpse of a black bike that seemed a little too familiar, it looked exactly like the one Alex rides. Maggie scans the crowd of DEO agents again, but there is still no sign of Alex. A strange dread is creeping up her neck and she can’t put a finger on why she feels this way.

“ Miss Lane, what are you doing here? “ a familiar voice speaks to the chief next to her, Maggie has heard it at the DEO before.

Maggie shifts her head to get a glance of the voice as the Green Martian morphs back into his human skin.

“ It’s long story for later, we have more pressing matters at hand now. “ Lucy says with a small smile on her lips.

“ It’s good to see you, though I wish it were under different circumstances. “ J’onn nods solemnly.

Maggie hides her surprise when Lucy seems to recognize him as the director of the DEO, though she isn’t entirely acquainted with him, they give each other a small nod of the head as acknowledgement. 

Lucy’s observant eyes catch on quickly, “ You two know each other? “

“ We have a mutual friend. “ Maggie shrugs slightly.

J’onn adds, “ Detective Sawyer has worked with Alex on a few cases. “

Lucy looks at Maggie with a raised eyebrow, “ So this is where you’ve been getting your extra information from, huh? “

“ What can I say? “ Maggie tosses a small smug grin to the chief. 

The streets remain silent with a tinge of tension in the air as the DEO agents enter the restaurant. The team is barely two steps in when they are all blasted back onto the road and writhing in pain. Maggie hears multiple guns click, and so does her own. J’onn morphs back into his alien skin as he approaches the other agents. The tension continues to build in the silence surrounding them. 

That is until a large man with bulging muscles and a small Asian girl saunters out of a restaurant casually, paying no heed to the large group of squad cars on both ends of the street. Maggie’s gun is in her hands and trained on them as soon as they exit, just like every other cop and agent there. J’onn is busy trying to stop the bleeding on an agent’s wound when the girl fires her photon gun, before anyone could warn him, he’s thrown into the side of a building. He recovers slowly, staggering to his feet while the two hostiles stroll casually. Her eyes try to etch every little detail of the two hostiles in her mind but she’s distracted by the two bodies the man is carrying. The detective would recognize that black leather jacket anywhere, _it’s Alex_.

A wave of anxiety washes over her and Maggie swears her heart has dropped to the depths of stomach. As much as she wanted to see Alex here, this is the complete opposite of how she pictured it. No wonder she’s been feeling all these uneasiness and dread. Neither side can open fire now, because the other body is the unconscious CEO of L-Corp, there’s too much at stake.

The girl speaks loudly for everyone to hear, “ Y’all are going to let us go, no funny stuff or my buddy here is going to hurt more than a few people. “ she pats the large photon cannon that rests on her shoulder.

Maggie grinds her teeth as her grip tightens around her pistol, she hates the stupid, cocky grin smeared on the girl’s face. The duo continues to stroll to their black van parked in the alley, Maggie’s gaze doesn’t leave Alex’s unconscious body for even a split second.

“ What should we do now? “ Maggie questions her chief, unable to hide the hostility in her voice.

“ We have to let them go, “ Lucy exhales sharply through her nostrils.

Maggie turns to the chief with an incredulous expression on her face, she bristles, “ We can’t just do nothing! “

“ We can’t, but we have to, Sawyer, “ Chief Lane responds with a tinge of frustration in her voice, “ I know Alex is your friend, as much as she’s mine, but we can’t risk hurting either one of them. “

The detective refuses to accept that, she refuses to just see Alex get taken so easily when she has a chance to try to stop it.

“ Lower your weapons people, we’re gonna do as they say, “ Lucy commands loudly.

The officers are lowering their weapons uncertainly, the DEO agents follow after an order from J’onn, everyone does, _except for Maggie._

She tunes out Lucy’s orders, the barrel of her gun is following the two mutants closely as they toss Alex and Lena Luthor carelessly into the back of the van. When they slam the door shut, Maggie’s finger moves to the trigger.

“ Maggie, did you hear me? _Lower. Your. Weapon._ “ Lucy repeats in a threatening tone with more emphasis.

The van’s engine starts and Maggie feels her entire body tense up, she has a clear shot on the driver, if she didn’t mess up, the bullet would pass through his temple easily. Just as the van pulls out of the alley, Lucy sends a harsh chop down Maggie’s arm, disarming her. Her pistol drops on the rough road and the helplessness she feels hurt more than her wrist when the van drives through the row of DEO vehicles without much resistance.

“ I’m pulling rank, Sawyer, “ Lucy leans in close to Maggie and says in a harsh whisper, “ you’re suspended until this case is over. “

Maggie turns to face the chief, her mouth agape, “ You can’t do that! “ she protests indignantly.

Lucy shakes her head and folds her arms across her chest, “ You disobeyed my orders, Maggie, what happened just now could’ve endangered more than just two lives. “ 

Maggie scoffs incredulously, “ Alright then, have it your way, _Chief_. “

The detective picks her gun up from the ground and shoves it into Lucy’s hand along with her badge, she walks off without another word. Lucy watches her friend’s figure as she storms off, she feels like she’s lost both her best detective and her good friend. A short month has passed since she moved back, and she’s become rather good friends with the detective, often going out for drinks together, taking on cases together. But lately, Maggie feels more aloof and distant from her.

* * *

 

Maggie presses the phone to her ear with an anger bubbling inside her, “ _Olsen_ , we need to talk. “

“ I’m busy right now, Sawyer, can it wait? “ James’ tone is filled with distress but Maggie doesn’t care right now.

“ _It wasn’t a question._ “

Maggie storms to Catco, since the vigilante’s workplace isn’t that far from where the two ladies were taken. She isn’t sure of who else she can turn to at this point, he might be the only person she can count on for now. The detective doesn’t think twice when she barges into James Olsen’s office, rambling away thanks to her overwhelming fear and infuriation.

“ Woah, easy, Sawyer, “ James tries to calm the detective down to no avail, “ I can’t catch everything you’re saying. “

“ There has been an abduction, Alex and Lena Luthor have been taken and my chief decides to take me off this case! “ Maggie repeats with frustration in her tone as she paces around James’ office.

The CEO doesn’t seem fazed by the information at all, “ I’ve heard, and that’s why I told you I’m a little busy now. “

The detective crosses her arms, “ Are you going to the DEO? “

James stands up from his relaxed position against the desk, “ As soon as you’re done ranting. “

“ I’ll let you leave, “ Maggie attempts to strike a deal, “ _only_ if you tell me what you know. “

James’ eyebrows stitch together to form a frown, “ You’re threatening me? “

“ I’m making you a deal, come on, Olsen, “ Maggie heaves heavily, “ I might just go insane if I sit back and do nothing. “

“ You can always tag along, Sawyer, you’re no stranger at the DEO. “

“ Can’t, my chief seems to know your director. “

“ Your chief? “

“ Lucy Lane, “ the detective huffs, “ ring a bell? “

James’ expression twists into surprise, “ I didn’t know she was back in National City. “

“ She moved back about a month ago, “ Maggie explains, “ but that’s beside the point, are you going to help me or not? “

The vigilante’s mouth opens and he’s about to answer when his phone rings. Maggie watches him carefully as he answers, she doesn’t eavesdrop, but she knows it’s important from the way he stitches his eyebrows together. He hangs up after a quick ten seconds and the look in his eyes screamed that it was nothing good.

“ Why? What’s going on? “ Maggie studies James’ expression carefully, the way his eyes moved slightly when he is in deep thought is unsettling to her.

“ Nothing but bad news, “ James exhales sharply through his nose, he grabs his things and prepares to leave, “ I gotta go. “

Maggie stands in front of the tall man, preventing him from leaving, “ They’re important to you, right? “

The vigilante nods, “ This is important, Maggie, Alex and Lena are important to both Kara and I. “ 

“ So you can understand how I feel when I say that _Alex is important to me too_ , “ Maggie’s voice cracks ever so slightly but James doesn’t notice.

James acknowledges the desperation in her eyes, and there’s not much time to lose, so he bobs his head in agreement.

“ I’ll give you a call as soon as I can. “

* * *

 

Winn’s multiple frantic calls are nothing compared to the mess at the DEO, it is in utter chaos when James arrives. 

“ Lucy, what brings you here? “ James feigns his surprise as he walks into the main room. 

Lucy shoots him a small smile and embraces him in a quick hug, “ My new job. “

James pulls away with an amused smile, “ Why didn’t you tell us you were coming back? “

The chief’s gaze dart from James to Winn to J’onn, all three seems to be rather curious, so she explains, “ After J’onn was re-instated as the director of the DEO, I packed up my things in National City and moved back to Metropolis in an attempt to figure out my next move in life. But I didn’t want to work as a lawyer again, so with some strings my father has pulled, I’m now the chief of the new NCPD Science Division. I didn’t want to tell anyone yet, it’s probably better to settle in at my new job first, lest I decide to up and leave again. “ 

“ I wish my dad was more like yours, “ Winn sighs under his breath, “ instead of some murdering psychotic toy maker. “

Lucy places a hand on Winn’s shoulders and chuckles softly, “ It sounds better than it actually is, trust me. “

J’onn clears his throat and places his hands on his hips, “ Well, we have more issues to focus on right now. “ 

The chief nods in agreement, “ Where is Kara? “

“ Missing, or abducted, “ Winn replies as his hands fly over the keyboard, “ assuming that Cadmus took her too. “

The air fills with a heavy silence, they all recognize the gravity of this situation and without Kara or Alex, rescuing them will be tough even with the Martian Manhunter and Guardian. 

“ Agent Schott, are you able to track them? “

Winn exhales and speaks with despair, “ Nothing’s turning up, Cadmus covered up all their tracks. “

“ Is there anything the NCPD can do to help? “ Lucy offers with a hopeful tone.

J’onn shakes his head, “ I’m afraid we’ve hit a wall here. “

* * *

 

Alex regains consciousness only to find herself with a splitting headache, she blinks a few times to clear her vision. Her hands are bound together tightly by strong metal cuffs. The agent finds herself in a small cage with Lena and when she turns, she sees Kara unconscious in the next cage. By the looks of everything, it all pointed to one organization, Cadmus. Kara isn’t in her suit, rather she’s in her usual Kara Danvers clothes, _how did they know that she's Supergirl?_

Once Alex is certain Kara is just merely knocked out, she jerks her head in the direction of Lena. She kneels next to the CEO and moves her fingers over Lena’s neck and thankfully, detects a strong pulse from the Luthor. She lets out a breath of relief and sits on the cool concrete ground. This is the second time Cadmus has pulled an abduction on her, and once she’s out, they better be prepared to face the wrath of an angry Danvers.

Lena stirs beside her and slowly opens her eyelids, she sits up frantically the moment her mind processes everything. 

“ Alex? What’s going on? “ Lena babbles almost incoherently, “ Where are we? “

Alex reaches out an places a hand on Lena’s, “ I’m guessing Cadmus took us, are you feeling okay? “

The Luthor bobs her head catches sight of her girlfriend in the next cell, instantly she scrambles to her feet. 

“ Kara, “ she calls out with worry plastered over her face but the Kryptonian remains unmoving.

“ They must’ve knocked her out as well, “ Alex doesn’t know if she’s reassuring the Luthor or herself, “ but she seems fine. “

“ I hope so, “ Lena croaks quietly, seating herself as close as she can next to her soulmate.

* * *

 

“ What do you mean you’ve got nothing? “ Maggie almost yells into her phone, her frustration coupled with her fear has affected her ability to control her emotions.

James grimaces as he pulls the phone away from his ear while Maggie vents angrily, who knew someone so tiny could have so much anger within them?

“ I’m saying we’re at a dead end here, “ the vigilante exhales sharply through his nose, “ they’ve covered up their tracks cleanly, there’s nothing to track. “

“ If this is a lie, “ Maggie threatens, “ _I can make your death look like an accident._ “

James swallows, “ Look, Sawyer, I’ll call you if there are any new updates, alright? So just cool it, you’re not thinking. “

The call cuts and Maggie drops her phone on the ground and clenches her fists angrily. Though part of her is unwilling to believe that the DEO has come up with nothing, she still has trust that James wouldn’t lie to her. 

But he does have a point, _she’s not thinking_. Clearly, at least.

She sits upright as an idea pops into her head, or rather, _a person._ Maggie’s on her feet in seconds and she grabs her jacket off the grass and leaves the park.

Even though it’s hardly four in the afternoon, Maggie could still find aliens drinking at the bar. And the person she needed is sitting at the counter with a glass of beer.

“ _Camille_. “ 

The alien turns her head at the voice, and she acknowledges with a curt nod, “ _Maggie_. “

“ I know you’re mad at me but- “ Maggie tries to speak but Camille interrupts.

“ Darla told me, “ the alien glances towards the detective, “ your little _deal,_ or _arrangement_ or whatever you want to call it. “

Maggie doesn’t let the surprise show on her face, “ So, you aren’t mad anymore? “

Camille shrugs, “ Only if my next drink is on you. “

“ Deal. “

The alien points a finger at Maggie warningly, “ But that doesn’t mean I approve of the whole thing, you hurt Darla, I can see it in her eyes. “

“ I know and it was never my intention to. “

“ I understand, Mags, “ Camille shoots her friend a small smile, “ so spill, I know you’ve got something on your chest. “

Maggie lets her lips widen into a smile before briefly embracing the alien who cringes at the contact.

The detective takes a seat and swivels the chair to face Camille, “ It’s Cadmus, again. “

“ What can I do to help? “ Camille answers swiftly without hesitation, it’s clear that after her abduction, it didn’t affect her much except for her gaining a newfound hatred for the organization. 

“ They took more people, “ Maggie explains without giving too much detail, “ and my chief suspended me. “

The alien takes a swig of her beer, “ So you need me to take you to them. “

Maggie bobs her head, “ Will you help me? “ 

“ Let’s go, detective. “ Camille downs her beer and slams the glass against the counter. 

* * *

 

The duo are racing their way down the streets at break neck speed on Maggie’s bike within minutes with Camille yelling directions over Maggie’s shoulder. The sky is beginning to darken overhead and it fills Maggie with a premonition.

Though she doesn’t believe in a god, Maggie prays that the universe will keep Alex safe.

Maggie pulls up outside an old Luthor Corp naval research facility, and Maggie finds it strange that they took Lena Luthor as well — unless she is in cahoots with them. The facility’s exterior is building up with rust and moss, and a harsh contrast to what she had been visualizing in her mind.

“ Are you sure this is the right place? “ Maggie questions as she removes her helmet.

“ Yeah, “ Camille nods, “ unless they moved, I’m pretty sure they’re here, you can get in through a hole in the fence at the back. “

Maggie dismounts her bike and turns to face Camille, “ Thanks for this, I owe you. “ 

“ It’s no big deal, “ Camille’s shoulders rise casually “ are you sure you don’t want me to tag along? “

“ I got this, Cam, “ Maggie flashes a quick smile at the alien, “ take my bike back for me will you? “

Camille bobs her head and pulls out a pistol from her jacket and presses it into Maggie’s hand, “ I trust you know what you’re doing. “

Maggie scoffs as her fingers wrap around the hilt of the gun, “ Don’t I always? “ 

The alien rolls her eyes and revs the engine, “ Kick some Cadmus ass for me, detective. “

“ _You bet._ “

Camille speeds off into the distance, leaving Maggie standing outside the gates of the facility — the next thing she needs to do is to find her way inside.

The detective snoops around the perimeter, looking for any holes in the fence as Camille had mentioned. True enough, there is a small, almost unnoticeable hole at the back. Maggie tucks her gun into her holster and worms her away through the hole, pushing past the broken fencing. She sneaks quietly to the nearest door, even though there’s nobody around, she doesn’t want to risk getting caught if Cadmus is really here.

The metal door is sealed tightly by years of rust and abandonment, the whole place looked  and smelt like decay. Maggie wrinkles her nose and proceeds to find other ways in. Dirt has built up on the windows over the years but they are still glass. Using the hilt of her gun, Maggie smashes the window without much difficulty. She tucks the gun back into her holster and crawls in through the window.

The first thing she notices is a smell, but not just any smell, _it’s the smell of death_. The room isn’t that big, and she’s broken in through the only window. Bodies are littered on the ground and are covered with white sheets. Maggie stares at the sea of bodies surrounding her, though in her line of work she’s seen plenty of morbid things, it doesn’t change the fact that the sight still turns her stomach. She kneels beside the nearest body and pulls away the sheet, the body is already decomposing into the black substance she had seen on the corpse a few cases back. Without a doubt, it’s the work of Cadmus and their gruesome experiments. Maggie covers the rotting corpse and her hands clenches into fists, it’s her job to protect people and aliens, and she can’t help but feel like she’s failed terribly. 

Exhaling softly, she pulls out her phone and finds the vigilante’s contact. It rings twice before James answers.

“ Sawyer, I told you if we- “

“ I found them, “ Maggie interrupts in a hushed voice.

“ What? “ James splutters with disbelief.

“ I’m sending you the location, “ Maggie declares.

“ Don’t do anything on your own, you hear me? I’ll be there as- “

Maggie ends the call before the vigilante can lecture her further, she knows what she’s doing.

* * *

 

Back at the DEO, things have calmed down substantially but Winn is still unable to track Cadmus despite monitoring Kryptonite levels, radiation emitted by alien technology, nothing is coming up. 

That’s till the DEO receives a transmission from Cadmus. 

“ Uh guys, “ Winn’s voice breaks the silence shrouding the room, “ we’ve got something. “

A disembodied projection of an android appears on the multiple DEO screens and it catches the attention of everyone.

“ This is a message to the Department of Extranormal Operations, “ a robotic voice speaks, “ we have Supergirl, Lena Luthor and Agent Alex Danvers in our hands. “

The DEO falls into silence, while the transmission continues to play, “ Release the alien registry, and we will promise you the return of Supergirl and Alex Danvers. “

The team toss glances at each other, and they all have the same question in mind, _what does Cadmus want with Lena?_

“ If you refuse, there will be more harmed in the days to come. “

The android transitions into footage of the trio being locked up, Kara is lying unconscious in a separate cell while Lena and Alex are together.

“ No! Take me instead! “ they hear Alex yell as she stands in front of Lena protectively.

“ Alex, don’t. They can take me if they want to. “ Lena’s voice quivers slightly as she grips the agent’s arm.

“ It’s fine, “ Alex turns her head slightly and gives the Luthor a reassuring smile, “ I don’t have much time left anyway. “

A large man grabs Alex and shoves her roughly out of the cell, and she tosses one last look at Kara then to Lena, “ _Tell Kara I love her._ “

The android flashes back to deliver one last message, “ You have twenty-four hours. “ the transmission cuts off and no one speaks for a good minute. 

J’onn clears his throat and looks around the room, “ Agent Schott, are you able to trace the transmission? “

“ I’m on it, “ Winn says with determination, he isn’t going to just let Cadmus take his friends.

“ What could they possibly need the alien registry for? “ Lucy asks no one in particular. 

James shrugs beside her, while J’onn responds with his guess, “ I assume so they can identify and eliminate every single alien in National City. “

“ Yikes … “ Winn murmurs under his breath.

James’s phone rings and he sees that it’s a call from the detective, he moves away from Lucy and answers it in a hushed voice. It’s barely a ten second call before Maggie cuts the call on him.

“ I know where they are, “ James declares, “ an abandoned Luthor Corp naval research facility. “

* * *

 

Maggie leaves the corpse filled room and she finds herself standing in the middle of a long corridor. She glances from left to right before deciding on a door to enter. The room she enters is dimly lit by the light of the setting sun, the windows are stained with so much dirt that they hardly let any light in. A musty odour hangs in the air but it doesn’t bother the cop while she treads quietly on the concrete floor. The shelves that filled the room hold boxes with dusty surfaces, they cast tall looming shadows on the floor which makes Maggie feel a little unnerved.

The unsettling feeling in her chest is only getting stronger with every step. She pauses when she hears faint footsteps coming from the corridor up ahead, she decides it’s a better option to hide first rather than to face whoever that is head on. Maggie takes cover behind one of the dusty shelves, praying to whatever powers that be that she doesn’t sneeze and reveal herself.

She holds her breath as the footsteps grow louder, and louder. But there’s only one set of footsteps, meaning whoever came is alone. Maggie pokes her head around the corner to get a glimpse of whoever it is.  

Without any hesitation, the cop emerges from her hiding spot and comes face to face with the agent, “ _Danvers?_ “ 

Alex is standing in the middle of the room with no apparent injuries whatsoever, in her usual leather jacket and a pistol in hand.

Maggie lowers her gun and feels an overwhelming sense of relief, like that weight of uneasiness has been lifted off her chest, “ Thank God, you’re okay. “ 

The agent advances to the detective in small, steady steps. Maggie’s instincts kick in, something isn’t right here. Alex is holding a gun, some sort of alien pistol. Her eyes hold a strange gleam, unfamiliar and menacing. A small square device, roughly the size of a coin, sits on her right temple, it blinks every other second and it’s emitting a bright green light. A familiar hexagonal logo is printed on the transparent device, it’s Cadmus without a doubt. 

“ _Alex?_ “ Maggie repeats her name quietly, her hands are turning clammy from holding her pistol a little too tightly. 

There’s no response from Alex, no emotion, no expression. Her movements are robotic and her eyes are dull and soulless. It’s almost as if she’s lost all signs of humanity, what’s left is just an empty vessel.

“ _Alex_ , look at me, “ Maggie pleads, she could no longer mask the worry in her voice, “ what’s going on? “

Maggie sees Alex’s eyes lock onto her and she lets herself fill with hope for a split second, before Alex raises her pistol to Maggie’s chest. The detective sees the pistol charge with blue photon energy just before she dives out of the way in time. Maggie rolls back onto her feet and she sees a gaping hole in the concrete wall. That hole would have been in her if she didn’t get out of the way in time. The cop feels a creeping panic crawl its way up her chest, she inhales deeply to get her senses together, _Alex isn’t Alex right now._

Maggie takes cover behind a box and peeks over it cautiously while Alex is surveying the entire area for the detective who had seemingly vanished. She weighs her options in her head, well, it’s not like she can shoot Alex, but she needs to somehow disarm the agent. The detective fixates her eyes on the device on Alex’s temple and she decides that it’s probably the reason behind why Alex is acting like this. It reminds Maggie of the chips, but all of the chips she has seen were all embedded in the corpses’ skins. Cadmus probably had more than enough time to enhance their chips, and it makes the detective sick to think that they’re using Alex against her.

The detective doesn’t have time to think before Alex fires another blast at her and Maggie tries to dodge but isn’t as lucky as the first time. The blast cuts into her shoulder, piercing through her jacket and leaving a deep burning wound. She drops her gun when the pain runs through her arm and grits her teeth to prevent herself from crying out. Taking a few deep breaths, she stands shakily and begins running for cover behind the shelves again, narrowly dodging Alex’s shots. If it really was actually Alex shooting, Maggie doubts she’d still be breathing, but then again, _Alex wouldn’t murder her._

Maggie needs time to think, to formulate a plan. Even a mere sixty seconds seems like a luxury to her, something she can’t afford. Her wound has left a trail of blood which would lead the agent straight to her. The detective slaps her hand over her injury, hoping that some pressure would prevent her from bleeding out. She hears footsteps coming closer again and she’s on the move, she’s thankful the room is huge, giving her space to hide. 

The detective crouches in the middle of an aisle of shelves near the side of the room and leans against the dusty boxes. Though she’s certain she’s safe for now, she doesn’t know how much time she has. She catches sight of the rise and fall of her diaphragm and is surprised at how out of breath she is, maybe it’s due to the fear of Alex killing her. Maggie draws a large breath into her lungs to help compose herself, she thinks of ways she could disarm Alex. Running straight in is out of the question — Alex might just shoot her before she even gets near.

_What else could she do?_

It’s only a matter of time before she bleeds to death. Maggie tries to feel her pockets for her phone but it’s not there, she probably dropped it somewhere in all the chaos — that rules calling for back up out. She curses mentally because any sound she makes could possibly alert Alex of her location.

An ominous silence sweeps through the room which is followed by a few minutes of silence. The fear that builds in Maggie is almost unnoticeable, except for the fact that her palms are covered in sweat. She constantly throws a glance behind her shoulder, half expecting Alex to show up from behind and kill her. 

She could try to escape the room — but she doesn’t want to leave Alex here alone, what if the DEO finds her and considers her a threat? The detective doesn’t even want to consider the consequences. 

Maggie grimaces while she pulls her hand off her wounded shoulder slowly to assess the wound, it was a clean shot but right now the adrenaline has left and it’s replaced by a searing pain. She’s been shot before in her line of work, and being shot by an alien gun is almost the same but it is seemingly tenfolds more agonising. She wonders if it’s due to the fact that Alex is the one who pulled the trigger.

The sound of a box hitting the ground has Maggie on her feet instantly. The sound came from behind. The detective’s eyes are darting around frantically, and a part of her dreads to see Alex.

Maggie takes a peek around the corner, Maggie sees Alex’s back facing her. She heaves a quiet sigh of relief, thankful that Alex hasn’t noticed her presence. _This is her chance, it’s an opening_. And she takes it. A surge of adrenaline runs through her, she sprints and launches herself at the agent, tackling her to the floor. The wound on her arm stings with pain and she is momentarily distracted, giving Alex a chance to turn the fight around. 

The agent fights the detective off and pins her down instead, her alien gun is some distance away thanks to Maggie. Still, Alex manages to land a solid punch to Maggie’s eye socket, causing her to grunt in pain. The cop gets a firm hold on Alex’s hands, stopping her from mindlessly punching Maggie to death. Using her legs, she kicks Alex off her and stumbles to her feet. The punch left her a little hazy, but mostly conscious. Alex is seemingly unaffected when she begins striding towards Maggie again. The detective stumbles a little while forcing herself to recover, and if anything, the blood loss doesn’t help. Widening her stance, Maggie sees that the room stops swimming and she can focus on Alex approaching her. Once the agent is close enough, Maggie delivers a hard punch to Alex’s chin, knocking her out in one swift move. 

Alex’s body hits the ground with a soft thud and Maggie drops to her knees seconds later. She exhales with relief as she pulls the device off Alex’s temple and the blinking green light deactivates. She shoves it into a pocket just in case the DEO wants to take it apart for scientific studies.

That’s one problem solved — the next being Maggie can’t carry Alex out of this musty facility alone. The detective doesn’t want to leave Alex alone here for fear that Cadmus would try to take her again, so she doesn’t leave the agent’s side.

Maggie spends a good ten minutes trying to get Alex into an upright position, and the pain in her shoulder has escalated into an excruciating pain. She drops herself next to the unconscious agent and sighs heavily. Using her bloodied hand, she touches the stinging sensation on her face only to find that Alex’s punch has lacerated the skin just under her right eye. 

Maggie tosses a glance at the woman next to her, and for a moment she loses herself in this warm, bubbly feeling in her chest. The detective lets her eyes travel down to Alex’s soft lips, and as much as she wants to press her lips against them, she knows she can’t. 

“ You’ve become so important to me, “ Maggie murmurs honestly, even though Alex can’t hear a single word she’s saying, “ but I don’t think you realise it. “

Her eyes fixate on Alex’s wrist, where she sees part of the agent’s clock ticking away. The sleeves of her jacket covers a large part of her clock, only leaving the seconds exposed. Maggie doesn’t pull the sleeve away as curious as she is, this is Alex’s secret, and it’s up to her alone whether she wants to tell Maggie. The detective stares up at the ceiling and exhales slowly through her mouth.

“ _I really like you, Alex, and I’m afraid we’ll lose what we have._ “

The metal creaks loudly as the door slowly swings open nearby, Maggie perks up and is on her feet instantly. Grabbing the nearest weapon she could find, she holds Alex’s strange alien gun in her right hand while letting her left arm dangle limply by her side. The detective presses her back against the shelves, and she tosses a quick glance at Alex before she steps out of the aisle, pointing a gun at whoever just entered the room.

“ Woah, it’s just me, Mags. “ Camille raises her hands up quickly.

“ What are you doing here? “ Maggie hisses as she lowers her weapon, “ I told you I could handle it. “

Camille looks her up and down pointedly, “ Sure you do, I turned back for you and this is how you treat me? “

Maggie grumbles an apology, “ Okay, fine, I’m sorry, I need your help with Alex. “

The alien raises an eyebrow as she follows Maggie to the aisle where Alex is still unconscious. 

“ You can fill the details later, “ Camille says as she proceeds to scoop Alex up with ease.

“ Always slips my mind that you have super strength. “ 

“ It comes with being an insufferable _Daxamite_. “

By the time the detective and the alien leave the building and reach the main entrance, Maggie is on the verge of passing out due to the blood loss. Camille slings Alex on her shoulder while she tries to prevent Maggie from falling over. They manage to stumble out to the row of DEO squad cars and Lucy is shocked to see Maggie.

“ Jesus, “ the chief is running towards the detective and she ducks under Maggie’s good arm to support her, “ what the hell happened? “

“ Got shot by this, “ Maggie responds with a smug smile weakly as she pats the alien gun in her holster.

“ Okay, you know what? “ Lucy exhales sharply through her nose, “ _you win, we’re cancelling this bet on how many times we can get shot and live._ “

“ Gotcha, _Chief_. “ 

* * *

 

Lucy accompanies the detective and agent back to the DEO while James and J’onn rescues the Luthor and the Super. Time passes in a haze for Maggie, she constantly blinks in and out of consciousness. Though she hears bits and pieces of information, she doesn’t process them until she wakes up hours later. She recognizes the room, she’s been in here before. The DEO’s med bay. Her wound is stitched up and wrapped tightly with bandages, and the laceration under her eye doesn’t hurt as much. She ignores the intense aching in her arm and shoots upright in her bed with only one person in her mind.

 _Alex_.

“ Calm down, Maggie, you’re fine, “ Lucy says in a soothing tone while trying to urge the detective back down.

There’s a look in Maggie’s eyes that Lucy has never seen before, it’s worry with a tinge of terror.

“ How’s Alex? She’s Alex right? “ the cop blurts with desperation.

The chief glances at Maggie suspiciously for a moment, “ She’s fine, what happened back there? “

Maggie exhales softly through her nose, her pounding heart begins to slow down, “ Alex had some sort of device on her temple and it was controlling her, I don’t even know if she was aware or if she remembers any of it. “

“ Does that explain how you got shot? “ Lucy gestures to Maggie’s shoulder.

The detective nods and responds with a sarcastic scoff, “ You really think I’d shoot myself for our bet? “

Lucy’s shoulders rise, “ I’m learning to expect the unexpected from you, Sawyer. “

Maggie’s lips crack into a smile, “ Well, the chip is in my jacket, did they rescue Supergirl and Lena Luthor too? And what happened to Cadmus? “

Lucy nods, “ _Lena and Kar_ \- “

The detective squints suspiciously at the chief and she shrugs, “ The glasses don’t help. “

Lucy laughs as she shakes her head and leans back into her chair, “ Don’t let them know I let it slip, but yes the both of them are doing fine and we had to give up the alien registry.“

“ What? “

“ We had no choice, “ Lucy sighs, “ but we found out who’s in charge. “

“ You know who it is? “

“ Yeah, “ Lucy nods, “ Lena Luthor’s mother, _Lillian Luthor_. “

Maggie clicks her teeth, “ Who would’ve guessed? “

A silence falls upon them and Lucy feels the need to speak, “ I’m sorry for suspending you, I just thought it was for the better. “

Maggie gives a dismissive wave of her hand, “ It’s alright, I wasn’t thinking with my head. “

Lucy sighs, “ If I didn’t, you probably wouldn’t get shot. “

“ If you didn’t, “ Maggie retorts, “ I probably wouldn’t have made Camille take me to them. “

“ You have a point but I still feel responsible, “ Lucy says apologetically. 

“ Wounds heal, Lucy, “ Maggie assures, “ this will heal soon enough. “

“ I owe you drinks when you’re better. “ 

“ I’m in, chief. “

“ Anyway, “ Lucy stands from her seat, “ I have to get back to work. “

The detective raises an eyebrow, “ And I’m the workaholic. “

The chief scoffs, “ All you have to do is focus on getting better, I’ll visit tomorrow. “

“ See you around. “ 

* * *

 

The room fills with silence and Maggie stares into space, she wonders if she should look for Alex and check up on her. It doesn’t take her long to make a choice because her feet are already moving on their own. She somehow has a hunch that Alex would be in her lab, and true enough, she’s right.

Maggie’s knuckles hits the glass door twice, “ Knock knock. “ 

Alex looks up from the table and the detective lets her lips tug upwards into a small grin as she tilts her head slightly.

“ Hey, sorry for shooting you, “ Alex apologizes softly, and her heart lightens up a little at the sight of the detective, “ and punching you. “

“ Do you remember everything? I’m just glad to see you still alive, “ Maggie beams as she strides into Alex’s lab, “ plus I think I did worse when I knocked you out with a single uppercut. “

Alex gives a slight nod of her head while facing the detective and she scoffs, “ Trying to get rid of me, I see. “

“ Wouldn’t even try. “ 

An uncomfortable silence falls upon them, Maggie’s eyes are darting from the floor to the walls, trying desperately to avoid the elephant in the room.

“ So about that conversation, “ Alex mumbles, “ do you want to have it now? “

Maggie hesitates before nodding, “ Okay. “

“ _You kissed me that night._ “

“ _I did._ “

“ _You have a girlfriend_. “ Alex says curtly, unable to hide the jealousy in her tone.

Maggie exhales softly, “ _I do_. “

“ So what the hell was that? “ the agent crosses her arms over her chest.

“ I don’t know, Danvers, “ the cop turns away from Alex in an attempt to gather her thoughts, “ it was just a spur of the moment thing. “

Alex feels her heart drop to her stomach, a wave of disappointment washes over her when she hears the words. 

“ So it was a mistake? “ Alex swallows and makes no attempt in masking the hostility in her voice.

“ No, no it’s not like that, I don’t meet many people I care about … “ Maggie swivels around quickly, trying to salvage this situation before it takes a turn for the worst, “ _and I care about you._ “

Alex watches the detective expectantly, as much as she wants this, as much as she wants to be with Maggie, she knows that it can’t happen, _they can’t happen._

“ I’m really sorry, “ Maggie apologizes softly, she feels the guilt eating away at her when she sees the hurt in the agent’s eyes, “ I thought maybe … _you feel the same way as I do._ “

Alex’s throat feels constricted, and she doesn’t know what she should say. If she said yes, how much time could they have together before her clock hits zero? Ultimately, the universe is in control of this situation. 

“ _I do_ … “ Alex whispers honestly and she shuts her eyes to keep the tears from pushing past her lashes, “ but I don’t think we can be together. “

Maggie’s heart races when Alex agrees with her, but her face falls and her heart feels shattered when she continued to speak, a soft ‘oh’ is all she could choke out without her voice cracking.

“ Is this because of Darla? “ the detective asks, “ because if it is, I can- “

“ No, it’s me. “

“ You don’t have to lie to me, Alex. “

“ I’m not lying, “ Alex exhales softly through her mouth, the words that leave her lips are filled with anguish, “ I think some distance would be good for us. “

“ Why? “ Maggie feels her heart wrench inside her chest, she didn’t understand why, _why would Alex push her away like this?_

“ I can handle anything the universe throws at me, but … _not you_ , “ the agent’s voice is heavy and she’s trying her best to hold back her tears, “ you were something I never planned for. “

The detective steps a little closer to Alex, “ What do you mean? “

Alex turns away from Maggie, hoping the cop didn’t see the single drop of tear roll down her cheek, “ _I can’t have you in my life right now … it’s just too much_. “

Maggie wonders if she’s a liability, just a little too much for people to handle, a raging storm that never stops. _She wonders if Alex got tired of her, she wonders where she’s gone wrong, she wonders if this is another case of her letting in the wrong person._ Just when Maggie thought she’s found someone that she can feel comfortable with, they abandon her, _they leave like it’s nothing_.  

“ So you’re not even going to try, you’re just going to push me away? “ the cop’s voice is laced with disappointment, she sees no use in trying to hide her feelings anymore.

Alex sucks in a shaky breath, “ It’ll be better for us in the long run. “

“ In the long run, “ Maggie mocks incredulously, she feels an anger bubbling within her, “ you know, if you wanted me gone you could’ve just told me, I can save you the trouble of leaving me! “

The agent shifts to face Maggie, she opens her mouth to speak but no words are coming out, if only the detective has even the slightest clue that Alex isn’t doing this for herself, she’s doing it to minimalize the hurt she’s going to cause Maggie.

“ You know what? I’ll go, I’ll leave if that’s what you want. “

Alex pleads, “ Maggie … _Please_ … I didn’t mean it like that. “

The cop’s tone is filled with nothing but hurt, she blinks away the tears as she speaks, “ So what do you mean, Danvers? “ 

Alex tries her hardest to try to articulate her feelings, but she doesn’t want to put the weight of her clock on Maggie’s shoulders too. The agent knows that anyone with knowledge of how much time she has left ends up carrying a piece of its weight with them, Maggie has suffered enough, and Alex would rather she slip away quietly than to let the detective count down her last few days. 

“ I thought you were different, I thought that maybe, _finally_ … “ Maggie’s voice cracks mid sentence and she doesn’t finish it. The detective turns and is halfway out the door when she talks again, “ I just want you to tell me something. “

“ Anything, what is it? “ the agent answers with a certain desperation in her voice, hoping that the cop can understand that she doesn’t want this either.

“ _How much time is left on your soulmate clock?_ “ 

Alex feels a lump in her throat as the words leave her lips in a strangled voice, “ _I can’t …_ “

_Can’t bear to put this burden on you._

“ Tell me and I’ll leave without another word, take it as my last favour from you. “ Maggie’s voice is firm, revealing no emotion to Alex, but her tears have already left tracks down her cheeks.

Alex hesitates and flips her wrist around to get a good look at her clock, but she doesn’t care about how fast the seconds seem to tick away, all she can focus on is how she’s hurt Maggie, she inhales deeply and speaks, “ _One hundred and seventeen hours and fifty-three minutes._ “ 

The agent can see the slight bob of the detective’s head and Maggie sticks to her word, she leaves without another word. Alex can only watch the cop’s figure helplessly as she leaves the room and her life entirely. The agent draws a large breath and holds it in, for as long as she can, until her lungs are screaming for oxygen. Alex exhales sharply through her mouth and stares at the ceiling. She just did the one thing she never wanted to do, place the weight of her death on someone else’s shoulders, _on Maggie’s shoulders_. They shouldn’t have to bear this weight, Alex does, _alone_.

The agent feels like her soulmate clock is a grenade in her hands on the verge of explosion, and everyone else around her is watching, and waiting. So the least she can do is to get everyone away from her before the flying shrapnel hits them. After all, she muses, humans were born alone, and they’ll die alone too.

* * *

 

Maggie returns to her room, but she doesn’t settle back into bed. Instead, she grabs her belongings and leaves the DEO. The detective has no clue what time it is, but the sky is pitch black without a single star in the heavens. She catches sight of her bike parked by the streets and she’s glad Camille left her keys. Swinging her legs over the bike, she turns the ignition, speeding off to her safe haven.

The only thought that runs through her mind is Alex is dying in less than five days, and it replays in her head, over and over again like a broken record. She isn’t sure when she parked the bike, she doesn’t remember walking up the hill, she doesn’t remember lying down on the grass staring up at the dark sky.

But she’s here, and she clenches her fists so tightly that her nails dig into her palms, and the pain reminds her that everything that happened is real. A whiff of rain hangs in the air and it reminds Maggie of that night they spent here, _together._

_Alex is dying, Alex doesn’t want her in her life, Alex-_

Maggie doesn’t know when, but her life is seemingly centered around the agent now. The only time she truly feels happy is when she’s with Alex, she feels comfortable, _she feels whole_. She wonders if Alex really feels the same way too, no it doesn’t matter now — after all, the agent pushed her away.

The detective can’t help but feel like the universe is against her right now, and her thoughts flick to Alex again. Maybe this is how Alex felt when she got her clock, maybe this is why she seemed to be so against the universe. She lets out a frustrated yell and curses the heavens with menace. Maggie has grown so accustomed to the agent’s presence over the short amount of time they’ve spent together such that she feels disorientated after merely a week without Alex. The detective dreads what will happen when a hundred and seventeen hours pass.

Using her good hand, she reaches for her phone and raises it just above her face. Maggie hesitates for a while before she presses the device against her ear and waits for the line to ring, it takes a while, but the alien always answers.

“ Mags? “ the Roltikkon’s raspy voice hinted that she was probably asleep before. 

“ You were right, “ Maggie’s voice is strangled, like there’s a lump stuck in her throat.

“ What? “ Darla’s voice is filled with confusion, “ What are you talking about, Maggie, are you okay? “

“ _About my heart being with someone else._ “

Darla’s response is a quiet ‘oh’.

“ I’m afraid I’m going to have to break our deal. “ Maggie whispers.

“ It’s alright, I knew it wouldn’t end in happiness from the beginning. “ the detective thinks she can hear the slightest crack in Darla’s voice and she feels an overwhelming guilt in her chest.

“ Still friends? “

“ Still friends. “

“ _I’m sorry,_ “ Maggie croaks.

“ Take care, Mags. “ Darla hangs up without another word and Maggie lets her phone hit the grass with a soft thud.

Tears push past her lashes and they roll down her cheek, it stings when they run past the laceration but the pain keeps her grounded. She pinches the bridge of her nose and she sucks in a shaky breath. 

Maggie did exactly what she told herself not to do — _build a home in another person, let them make or break her._

Now, she’d have to go through the pain of having a piece of herself ripped away harshly by _Alex Danvers_.

This time, she muses, _will Alex be the one to break her entirely?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> idk i just felt like i could bring lucy back so i did  
> also! i wrote an alternate vers to the alex mind control scene, it's the 2nd chp of my other fic titled rainy days. but uh i guess that fic is way angstier than this?  
> and ok the next chapter will be the last one unless i decide to invest more time in cadmus and their shenanigans (highly unlikely but we'll see i mean if y'all actually want me to then i would though i kinda wanna wrap this up and start a new fic)  
> anw!! leave a comment/kudos/bookmark/subscription and i'll love u  
> feel free to leave angst prompts @ damnsawyer.tumblr.com  
> xo


	5. polarized

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i fffinished it  
> (like fucking finally)  
> hope y'all enjoy it

_ 117:42:01 _

_ 99:59:00 _

_ 72:03:27 _

_ 48:25:56 _

Alex has two days left to find her soulmate, but at this point, she has given up all hope of looking — not that she was trying anyway. The seconds seem to be ticking away faster and faster and she hasn’t left her house in two days. She switched off her phone, didn’t turn up for work, inherently cutting herself off from everyone.

Kara tries to visit but all the older Danvers does is shut her out, she’s been shutting everyone out the moment she’s gotten her clock. Well, save for Maggie, she’s practically poured her heart out to the detective and that didn’t turn out well. They could’ve had something good, but the universe refuses to let her have even the slightest bit of happiness. 

Alex has never really appreciated the weather in National City, her favourite kind of days were the days where it was a little cloudy, mostly gloomy. She spends the entire morning of her second last day sitting on the balcony of her apartment, staring down at the streets, at the cars, at the people going about with their lives. Twenty days ago she was one of those people whose problems didn’t involve their soulmate timers running out of time. So many people would’ve run out of time as well, and she wonders how they dealt with that, how they spent their last few moments, she muses if they were anything like hers.

A certain sadness lingers in the air around her as she thinks of the world continuing on without her because eventually she’d be forgotten by everyone. Maybe even Maggie too. It hurts to think of the fact that someday Maggie will be happy with someone else, but she wants that someone else to be her so badly. 

She _wants_ to be happy with Maggie.

A knock on her door brings her attention back to reality, but she remains in her seat with no intention of answering the door. The clouds are beginning to clear, letting rays of sunshine through the thick clouds overhead. 

“ Alex? I know you’re home, open up. “

The agent stiffens, she hasn’t heard that voice in ages, and she has mixed feelings about it now. Part of Alex wants to talk to her, but another part of her wants to get her as far away as possible. There’s no way she can face her now, not when she’s left with two days to live.

“ Alex, please, we should talk. “

She cringes slightly when her feet touch the cold floor of her balcony and she makes her way indoors. Her fingers touch the doorknob and she hesitates, is she really going to do this?

With a twist of the knob, the door opens to reveal the person standing at her door.

“ _Mom_ , “ Alex gasps almost inaudibly, she grinds her teeth while she waits for the chiding, after all it’s all she expects.

Eliza doesn’t say anything but rather she pulls Alex into a tight hug, similar to the one she gave Alex when she first came out. Alex allows herself to melt into her mother’s embrace, her chin rests on her mother’s shoulders and they stay like that for a good minute. It feels so good to feel safe again, like nobody could hurt her not even the universe.

She feels like that when she’s with Maggie, like she’s at home.

“ I should have told you … “ Alex chokes quietly as she speaks, there’s so much more she wants to say but there’s a lump in a throat preventing her from doing so.

Eliza runs her hand up and down her daughter’s back comfortingly,“ I understand why you felt like you couldn’t, but no matter what, I’ll always love you, Alexandra. “

Alex sniffs while she holds back her tears, she pulls back from Eliza slowly, inviting her into the apartment. 

“ Who told you? “ Alex questions while she leads her mother to the sofa, she had a feeling it was Kara.

“ J’onn did, they’re worried about you, Alex, and so am I, “ Eliza responds with a small smile as she places her hand over Alex’s, the softness in Eliza’s eyes calms her down slightly.

“ I may have shut them off, “ Alex’s shoulders rise slightly at an attempt at a joke, “ I didn’t want you to know till I was … “

“ _Gone?_ “

The agent nods slowly with a tinge of guilt inside her, she can’t bear to look at her own mother in the eyes lest she sees how hurt her mother is.

“ I’m not upset, Alex, “ Eliza speaks quietly, “ I’ve always prepared myself for the worst given your line of work, but it would tear me up inside even more if I couldn’t say goodbye. “

Alex turns to look at her mother as she listens, she knows her mother has already lost her father, going through the grief and loss all over again isn’t going to be easy. 

“ I want you to know that you were the best thing that’s ever happened to me, you’re my Supergirl, I’ll be here for as long as you need. “ Eliza’s lips twist into a wide smile as a single drop of tear escape her lashes, she pulls her daughter in for another hug.

The mother and daughter spend the rest of the day together, just the two of them, reminiscing about the past and taking away most of the bad thoughts in Alex’s head. Eliza leaves when the clock turns to midnight, leaving Alex alone on her last day. Her mother agreed to letting her spend her last day alone, if that means fulfilling her daughter’s last wish, who is she to deny her of that?

* * *

 

_ Twenty three hours and fifty nine minutes. _

“ Figured I’d find you here. “ a familiar presence sits next to the detective in the dingy bar where she stares blankly at her empty glass.

It’s been a slow night, it’s a rainy Monday night after all and Maggie didn’t particularly want to be around anyone at the moment. The cop keeps her silence as her fingers trace the rim of the glass, hoping that the chief would take the hint and leave. 

“ Are you okay? “

Maggie suppresses the urge to respond with a swift and emotionless ‘I’m fine’, because fine is far from what she’s feeling. Fine is not what she’ll be when Alex ceases to breathe in twenty two hours. 

“ Come on, Mags, “ Lucy nudges her arm encouragingly, “ it’s Alex, isn’t it? “

She stiffens at the agent’s name, her eyes flit from her empty glass to the chief on her right and she exhales quietly without saying a word.

Lucy’s eyes softens slightly when the detective meets her gaze, though the two are pretty open with each other, she’s never seen Maggie this anguished before, “ She’s running out of time, isn’t she? “

“ _Twenty two hours and fifty one minutes_ , “ Maggie replies coldly while she orders another glass, she’s been counting mentally but the numbers aren’t the only things robbing sleep away from her.

“ You love her. “

Maggie balls her hands into fists and she lets her nails dig into her skin, letting the physical pain distract her from the aching in her chest momentarily. There’s some truth to Lucy’s words, yet hearing it out loud for the first time scares her. A part of her attributes it to the aftereffects of her previous relationship, but she knows that’s not the reason why she’s so terrified. 

Losing Alex frightens her more than anything because all she can do is _watch_.

She’s usually always in control of her situation, always sure of what to do next, but being so helpless like this bugs her. She’s survived without Alex in her life before, she’s survived long enough to know that she’ll heal from this eventually. These past few weeks have made her feel more alive than ever, and she doesn’t want it to end, she doesn’t want to stop living.

Maggie sometimes pictures how Alex would go and each time she wishes she was there with the agent till the last second. Alex would never agree, Alex would’ve pushed her away even more than she already has. She lets go of a breath she unconsciously held, and she realises it then.

Her feelings are real, more real than anything she’s ever felt and it breaks her more knowing that Alex doesn’t, or can’t reciprocate it.

“ _I do_ , “ Maggie croaks after a long silence, “ and there’s nothing I can do to stop her from dying tonight. “

The detective grabs her leather jacket and leaves the bar for a place where she can actually take a moment to breathe.

* * *

 

Alex returns to her own little world after Eliza leaves, she’s bent on spending her last day alone. No Kara, no Eliza, no J’onn, no Maggie especially, she’s going to do everything she can to keep them as far away as possible. 

She spends most of her day on her balcony, this time, the sun shone so brightly it was a huge contrast to the way she felt inside. The agent spends her time watching the seconds on her clock tick by, somehow it feels like it makes time slow down. She thinks about everything she’s accomplished in life and decides that she’s had a good run. Afterall, she had a good family, a good life, an amazing job. What more could she want? Well, she knows one good answer to that question a little too clearly now.

_Time_.

She sees a flash of red and blue fly past, still pretty noticeable despite the darkened night skies and gloomy clouds. Supergirl lands on her balcony and she doesn’t even lift her eyes from the glass of wine in her hands.

“ You haven’t picked up any of my calls and I got really worried, “ her sister murmurs with concern while entering the flat, “ are you okay? “

Okay couldn’t even begin to describe how she was feeling, she feels like a wreck, a mess, a little too broken inside. 

But she couldn’t bear to worry Kara, so she simply nods while taking a sip of her drink.

“ You don’t look okay, “ Kara sighs while she places a hand on Alex’s shoulder, the hero knows there’s nothing else she can do except be there for her.

She still tries to look for Alex’s soulmate but to no avail, and at this point it seems pretty hopeless. She knows Alex is probably feeling worse than she is, but she can’t help but feel a little torn up for being so useless in this situation.

“ Do you want to talk? You know I’m here for you. “

Alex isn’t sure of her response, but Kara takes a seat anyway, pulling her sister into a soft embrace. The agent allows herself to bask in the Kryptonian’s warmth, she clutches her sister’s arms tightly and allows the tears that had built up to push past her lashes. She inhales deeply, trying to get herself together to formulate something audible, but there’s a lump in her throat that seemingly won’t go away.

“ It’s okay Alex, let it out, I got you, “ Kara whispers soothingly as she rubs a hand down Alex’s back. 

“ Kara … “ Alex chokes between tears, “ I don’t want to die, I want more time … more time with you, Maggie, and everyone. I want more time to live … I hate this clock, I hate the universe, I hate all of this so much! “

This is the second time Kara has heard Alex admit it but it still scares her a little, she rarely sees Alex so … vulnerable. Her sister has always kept up her tough facade no matter what and seeing her like this absolutely breaks her heart.

She wishes that she could assure the older Danvers that it’s all going to be okay, that she won’t die tonight when the clock strikes midnight, but Kara’s not confident of that. 

“ I don’t want to lose you either, Alex … I wish I could make this better, I wish I could save you. “

“ You can’t … but it’s good enough that you’re here. “

Kara knows someday she’s going to have to let Alex go, she’s going to have to let all her human friends and family go. It hurts Kara so much to know that she can’t save them. She’d have to watch them age and wither away while she continues living. But she never expected it to happen like this, this is something even a hero like her can’t prevent.

That’s the only thing Alex says for the remainder of the night, and Kara doesn’t mind. She wallows in the time she has left with her sister and tries to etch every little detail about Alex into her memory — lest she forgets.

Alex allows Kara to stay till her last ten minutes, then she really wanted to be alone. 

“ Kara, just go. “ Alex forces the words out of her throat, and as much as she wants someone to be here with her till the very last second, she can’t bear to place such a heavy burden on her sister’s shoulders. 

Kara looks at her with pleading eyes, “ Alex … Please, I want to stay. “ 

“ You can’t stop this, “ Alex’s voice comes out heavy and strangled, “ you’ve seen enough death, this is the least I can do for you. “

“ Alex, please. “ 

“ Just … Do this for me, Kara, it’s my last request. “

Kara’s tears begin to leave streaks down her cheeks, she takes a deep breath and nods. How could she reject her sister’s last request? Alex notes the slight disappointing sag of her shoulders but she couldn’t even begin to imagine the crushing grief Kara is feeling. Silently, she walks over to Alex and wraps her arms tightly around the older Danvers. 

“ I-I’m going to miss you, s-so … so much, “ Kara chokes as she clutches Alex’s shirt tightly, like it will stop the universe from robbing her of her sister, “ I love you, Alex. “

“ I know, I love you too, “ Alex sniffles and pulls away slowly, “ don’t you ever forget that. “

“ You know I won’t. “ Kara murmurs and unwillingly lets Alex go.

“ You should go now, and don’t use your vision. “ Alex says softly as she looks at Kara, she doesn’t doubt that the Kryptonian will get over her death eventually, she’s just afraid of the grief her sister has to work through to feel okay again.

Kara’s jaw clenches, she sucks in a shaky breath, and takes off into the night sky without another word, without another look. If she turned, she’d never leave.

“ We will remember you every dawn and await the night to join you in the sky, “ Kara recites under her breath as she leaves Alex’s apartment, “ Rao’s will be done. “

Alex’s eyes follow Kara’s figure out the window until she disappears into the darkness of the night. 

00:05:42

The agent sits at the counter and pours herself another glass of alcohol, she stares at the glass for a moment before deciding to drink from the bottle instead. She’s going to die anyway, who cares if she downs an entire bottle of alcohol?

* * *

 

Maggie scoffs quietly to herself as she lifts her wrist up, picturing the timer on her wrist, but all she can think of is Alex’s timer, counting down with every passing second. Alex’s down to her last hour already and pains the detective just thinking of it.

“ What are you doing here, detective? “ a hand rests itself on her shoulder while a figure takes a seat next to her. 

The detective stares blankly at her empty glass, it isn’t so grand anymore now that she’s found out that Alex is dying today, _tonight_. 

“ Aren’t you excited? In approximately twenty minutes, you’ll get your soulmate timer, “ Camille points out with a tinge of glee in her voice, clearly not getting that the detective wanted to be alone.

“ I wish I could say I was, “ Maggie responds grimly, _how could she be excited when Alex is dying on her birthday?_

Maybe Alex was right when she said that the universe is a sadist, what kind of sick joke is this?

“ What’s wrong, Sawyer? “ Camille’s tone changes to one with worry, “ is something bothering you? “

Maggie hums quietly under her breath and the alien doesn’t catch it thanks to the blaring music in the background.

“ Is it that agent? “ the alien asks as she slides herself into a seat next to Maggie, “ it has to be, right? “

“ Surprise … “ Maggie mumbles sarcastically while she signals the bartender for another drink.

Camille nudges her with her eyebrows stitched together, “ What’s wrong with the agent? “

“ She’s dying, alright? “ Maggie grumbles as the bartender slides her drink over, “ so will you quit asking and just leave me alone for tonight? “

Camille purses her lips, clearly not expecting such a serious response from the detective. The air turns serious between the two, and the alien doesn’t know how to continue the previously light-hearted conversation. So Maggie feels like she should elaborate, afterall, Camille has been nothing but an amazing friend.

“ She’s running out of time on her soulmate clock, “ Maggie continues as she finishes her drink in one gulp, “ her time’s up when the clock strikes midnight, and there’s nothing I can do to stop it. “

“ If you can’t stop it, at least be with her till the end. “

Maggie squints her eyes and looks at the alien, the dimly lit bar makes it hard for her to judge if the alien is actually joking or not. 

“ Are you being serious now? “

“ Look Sawyer, you have feelings for her, more than some damn crush, I’m just saying that you might regret not doing anything now. “ Camille shrugs as she orders a beer.

“ She doesn’t want me there, alright? “ the detective clutches the glass a little tighter as the agitation in her voice rises, “ she’s been trying so fucking hard to push me away. “

Camille sighs, “ _And what’s keeping you away?_ “

The detective bites her lower lip in silence, unable to formulate some sort of rebuttal, seeing this, Camille keeps talking.

“ You don’t know, do you? Look, Mags, I’ve known you for a while now and I’ve never seen anyone make you so goddamn happy. So trust me when I say that you are so fucking in love with her that I’m calling it. “ 

“ Calling what? “

“ _That you guys are soulmates._ “

Maggie wants to scoff and Camille and brush it off but part of her wants it to be true, she wants to save Alex, she wants Alex to live so that they could accomplish a bucket list of things she’s made up in her head, she wants to love Alex.

“ I’d say it’s the same for Alex too, “ Camille adds with a small smile, “ she just doesn’t want you to get hurt, even an idiot like me can see it, so what’s stopping you? “

The detective exhales a breath she isn’t aware of holding and glances at the clock, fifteen minutes left till midnight. Fifteen minutes left till Alex runs out of time.

“ You have two choices, Mags, “ the alien states as she takes her leave, “ stay here and do nothing while she dies, or try to save your goddamn soulmate. “

Maggie’s left alone again, but she wishes that the agent is here to fill this seemingly aching hole in her chest. The past few days have been practically hell for her, not talking to Alex after walking out hurts more than she anticipated. She never thought she’d be capable of liking someone else this much, truth be told, she’s already fallen too far to be okay with Alex leaving. She doubts she’ll ever be okay with it, Alex deserves to live, she deserves all the happiness and love in this world. She hates to think that tomorrow, Alex Danvers will be dead while she gets her timer and it all just sounds like one big cruel joke made up by the universe.

Maybe Camille was right, _maybe they were soulmates_. 

The clock continues ticking away as Maggie grabs her jacket and leaves the dingy bar in a rush. She wonders if she’ll be even more heartbroken than when she left the bar but decides it doesn’t matter, because two things could happen, she saves Alex or she loses Alex. And at this point, anything is better than doing nothing.

* * *

 

_ 00:03:14 _

She has three minutes left to live but all she can think of is Maggie and what they could have been if it isn’t for this damned clock. Alex hates the way she ended things with Maggie, she hates that it has to end.

_ 00:02:01 _

The agent has been unconsciously clenching her fists that when she reaches for her phone, the crescent shaped marks left by her nails are on the verge of bleeding. 

_ 00:01:49 _

Her thumb hovers over ‘Sawyer’, but she knows she’s not going to press it. She can’t, not after she pushed the detective away so harshly.

_ 00:01:28 _

The sound of the doorbell ringing reverberates through her quiet apartment, it’s followed by multiple aggressive knocks but Alex doesn’t move from her spot on the couch. She expects it to be Kara, or J’onn, or even her mother, _everyone except for Maggie_.

“ Just leave already, Kara! “ she yells and immediately regrets it because it stings more than it should.

_ 00:01:12 _

“ Open up, Danvers, _it’s me_. “

Alex freezes momentarily, she’s been waiting for this moment, and now that it’s finally here, she doesn’t know how to react. Glancing at her clock, she’s down to her last minute. She scoffs under her breath, this must be the universe’s way of giving her more, and it’s cruel to the both of them.

She gets up anyway, because if this is all she’s going to get, she’s going to take it and hold on to it for as long as she can. 

“ Please, I need to talk to you, “ Maggie pleads desperately from the other side while her knuckles collide against the wooden door. 

Alex draws a deep breath into her lungs before she turns the knob on the door to reveal Detective Sawyer, eyes glistening with panic and a little out of breath.

_ 00:00:59 _

“ _Maggie_ , “ Alex says curtly and nods like the detective showing up is something she expected, like it’s not someone she was hoping would turn up at her door.

She holds back her tears, her quiet relief, her urge to hold the woman in front of her so tightly that not even the universe could split them apart. Instead, all she does is watch the detective from the door. 

“ We don’t have much time left, and I want to tell you so many things, “ Maggie begins to say but her voice cracks mid sentence, “ I’m afraid if I don’t … I’ll regret it forever. “

Alex clenches her jaw while she lifts her clock for Maggie to see, the facade that the detective has been trying to keep up falls away in an instant. The despair in her eyes is evident and Alex feels her heart breaking at the sight.

_ 00:00:47 _

“ _I love you_ , Alex, and I’ve never felt this strongly about someone before, “ Maggie nods shakily and draws a deep breath to hold back her tears, “ heck, I never thought I’d ever let myself fall for someone so much again till you waltzed into the cell with your goddamn Secret Service badge. “

The agent allows a soft chuckle to escape her lips as she folds her arms across her chest, a heavy sadness lingers in the still silence between them.

“ You’ve become so important to me, I don’t think I’ve ever felt more comfortable around someone, so safe … I don’t think I’ve ever felt this happy around anyone … I don’t think I’ve ever felt so alive, “ Maggie swallows shakily and her eyes begin to water, “ I’m so fucking terrified of what’s going to happen next because I don't think I can fathom a world without you. “

Alex looks into the detective’s brown orbs and they seemingly exchange thoughts that the inevitable is about to happen in less than a minute. The Danvers feels the ache in her chest grow stronger with each passing second, and she repeatedly clenches and unclenches her hands.

_ 00:00:38 _

“ I’m sorry for dragging you into all of this, it was never my intention to hurt you, “ Alex gestures and says softly, “ I thought that maybe if I pushed you away you’d be safe from the heartbreak, you’d be safe from me. I didn’t want to become another person who hurt you and then left. “ 

Maggie’s lips crack into a small reassuring smile, “ I signed up for this, Danvers, it’s okay, I understand and I don’t regret any of it. “

“ Me neither. “

_ 00:00:30 _

“ I’m going to miss you, Alex, so, so much … “ Maggie whispers as she finally let her tears run down her cheeks, she chokes on her words, “ you’ve made me so feel so blessed to be alive and I don’t want to lose this, I don’t want to lose you, I don’t want to imagine my life without you in it. “

Alex stiffens at Maggie’s last sentence, helplessness runs through her as she’s shattered at the sight of the detective breaking down in front of her, in less than thirty seconds, she’s just going to be another person who hurt Maggie. She brings her hands up to wipe the detective’s tears away, her fingers linger against Maggie’s cheeks for a second before returning to her side.

_ 00:00:21 _

Who cares about the fucking universe and this goddamn soulmate clock anymore?

“ Do you believe in soulmates, Maggie? “ Alex asks in a soft voice while playing with her fingers. 

“ Yes, “ Maggie nods, replying swiftly without any hesitation.

Because for the longest time, all she’s ever wanted was to find her soulmate, or for her soulmate to find her. She has longed for this one person who would finally love her for who she was without them leaving. Someone she can finally be comfortable with, be at ease with, feel at home with. Maybe — no, she has finally found them, and they’re standing right in front of her now, or at least she wants to think so.

“ Fuck the universe and this stupid timer, I don’t care what the universe wants because all I know is I want you as my soulmate, Alex. Even if it’s for twenty seconds, I don’t want anyone else as my soulmate. “ Maggie declares, leaving Alex stunned.

In one swift move, Alex pulls the detective into her arms and Maggie buries her face in Alex’s neck. For a few seconds, she feels at ease, like she isn’t going to die in a matter of seconds. The comfort that Alex feels is mutual and Maggie revels in the agent’s embrace. They stay like that for a while, the detective bathes in the warmth of Alex, she breathes in the agent’s scent and etches into memory the way Alex’s fingers feel against her back.

If there’s one thing Maggie’s sure of now, it’s that _she’ll never love anyone like she loves Alex Danvers_.

“ _I love you too, Maggie,_ “ Alex whispers heavily against the crook of the detective’s neck, “ please don’t forget me. “

Maggie scoffs and closes whatever little distance that exists between them by pulling Alex a little closer, a little tighter, “ Are you kidding? How could I ever? “

How could she ever forget this lovely, amazing, absolutely badass woman?

“ I’m just saying, if you do, I’ll come back as a ghost to haunt you, “ Alex jokes softly as she glances at her clock. 

Maggie giggles quietly while she gives a snark response, “ What are you going to do? Chase me off my crime scenes? “ 

The sound of her laughter feels like the most comforting thing Alex has heard in days, and she’s grateful that the detective is here with her.

_ 00:00:10 _

It’s time to let Maggie go, but she can’t bear to.

“ Hey Sawyer, care to do me one last favour? “ the agent wipes the tears off Maggie’s cheeks while she pulls away slowly. 

Maggie feels a little empty the moment Alex leaves her arms, “ Shoot, Danvers, but I’m not leaving. “

“ Stay with me till the end. “

“ I wouldn’t leave even if the universe made me. “

_ 00:00:08 _

Maggie looks up at Alex and she moves her hand to the nape of her neck, pulling the agent closer, she presses her lips against Alex’s for the last time. Kissing Maggie feels like she’s coming up for air after weeks of drowning, it’s feels like finding something that you never knew you really needed, _it feels like finding your soulmate._

_ 00:00:04 _

She lets her fear of dying slip away and replace them with thoughts of Maggie and Maggie only. Everything about this moment is perfect, her slightly chapped lips, the way her hands shift from the nape of her neck to the small of her back.

Alex doesn’t want it to end, she wants more of this, more dates, more jokes, more talks, _more Maggie._

_ 00:00:01 _

_ But the universe clearly has other plans. _

_ 00:00:00 _

* * *

 

12:00 am, Maggie gets her soulmate timer while Alex withers away in her arms. Kara buries her face in J’onn’s chest while they fly in the sky a distance away from Alex’s apartment, weeping over the loss of her sister. Eliza has lost her daughter to the universe. There’s one less DEO agent in National City now.

Or at least that’s what they think would happen, _but it doesn’t._

Maggie doesn’t pull away from Alex till she sees the clock turn to 12:01.

Because there Alex stands, still alive and breathing, her heart still beating so quickly as if it’s going to pop out of her chest. Confusion hangs in the air between the two as they try to find the right words, after all, they never really anticipated this. 

_ They are soulmates.  _

Maggie sees the confusion in Alex’s eyes for a split second before it turns to relief and she can’t help but pull her in for another kiss. This time, it’s a little less urgent, less desperate, because now they both know that they have all the time in the world. Alex can feel Maggie quivering as their lips meet and she runs a hand down the detective’s back, assuring her that everything is okay. Alex doesn’t realise she’s crying till Maggie lifts a finger to her cheek and wipes away the tears, she chuckles with quiet relief and stares adoringly at the woman in front of her.

Neither speaks for a while, Alex figures they could use a little quiet after all the chaos. Her heart pounds aggressively in it’s bony cage and she finds herself trembling, not because she’s terrified, but because she’s so relieved. All along she never thought she’d find her soulmate, she was prepared to let her clock run out of time, but who knew the tiny cop who challenged her on the wrong crime scene would end up being the right person for her?

Maggie doesn’t bother to check the timer on her wrist, because she knows it won’t exist. Timers disappear when you run out of time, or when you find your soulmate and the detective is certain of the latter. 

The two pull away from each other slightly, not wanting to be too far apart. Their noses nudge against each other slightly while their foreheads remain in contact, Alex has her arms wrapped around the nape of Maggie’s neck while Maggie clings to Alex’s waist gently. 

“ Happy birthday, Sawyer, “ Alex breaks the silence as she puts the pieces together.

Maggie’s lips crack into a large smile, “ I guess my wish came true after all. “

“ What was it? “ Alex asks with a raised eyebrow, genuinely curious about the detective’s little birthday wish.

“ I wished I could save you. “

Alex begins to tear up again with a small smile, “ And I thought the universe was a sadist, maybe it’s not that bad … “

“ I couldn’t ask for a better birthday gift, or a better soulmate. “

“ I want to be your soulmate for more than twenty years. “ Alex declares softly as she holds back the urge to kiss Maggie over and over again, part of her is afraid that Maggie won’t reciprocate her feelings though it’s practically impossible now.

Maggie lets a soft chuckle escape her lips while she responds, “ Why stop there, Danvers? I want you to be my soulmate for twenty lifetimes … Scratch that, I want you as long as time still exists. “

“ Wow, detective, that’s real cheesy, “ Alex giggles while teasing Maggie, “ but I love it. “

“ And I love you. “

Alex basks in the bliss, who knew the universe would bless her with such an amazing woman for a soulmate? After everything they’ve gone through, she’s certain she’ll love Maggie for a long time, it’s not like she can picture anyone else she’d want to spend the rest of her life with. 

Nothing could really compare to what they’ve found, they’ve both found their homes in each other, their person, more importantly, their soulmates. 

And nothing is quite as beautiful as that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi  
> i had plans to finish this in march but then school started and now it's september but wow time really flies. i honestly have no excuse for not finishing this, in fact i actually forgot that i never wrote this last chapter.   
> (thanks for rereading this sarah and essentially guilt tripping me into finishing this)  
> massive thanks to everyone who stuck with me, i really appreciate all the comments and kudos and i hope the last chapter was a good one.  
> i feel a little sad that this fic is now done though but hey all good things have to come to an end.  
> hope y'all have an amazing day, xoxo.
> 
> as usual, hmu @ damnsawyer.tumblr.com.


	6. life is strange

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the epilogue that everyone wanted!!  
> also i edited the whole age thing because it just felt really off when i reread it  
> clearly didnt plan this out well enough but its a minor change in chapter one but the rest of the plot is unaffected  
> i hope u enjoy this!

It’s midnight, twenty one days after Alex turned twenty eight. Five hundred hours after Kara found out about her sister’s soulmate timer. Ten minutes after the hero left her sister’s apartment, she flies away with the Green Martian, deciding that she couldn’t bear to see her sister’s corpse right now. 

J’onn respects Kara’s decision and stays with her through the night, though most of it was spent flying through the night sky. When dawn arrived, Kara silently pleads with J’onn to get Alex, she doesn’t want carry Alex’s corpse because she’s afraid that it’ll be the way she remembers Alex forever. 

She wants to remember Alex as a smart, brilliant and brave agent. She wants to remember all the good moments she’s had with her sister, from their first night flight together, to their last movie night and eventually their last moments. She doesn’t want the last few good memories of Alex to be replaced by the haunting visual of Alex’s cold corpse. She doesn’t want to hold Alex and feels that there’s no pulse running through her body anymore. 

_ She doesn’t want to believe that Alex is dead. _

J’onn does so without another word, after all, he never got a chance to say goodbye. Or rather, he never wanted to. Perhaps saying goodbye could have provided an easy closure to help him work through his grief better, but he didn’t want to let Alex go. Some part of him believes that she could’ve found her soulmate, though nothing seems to suggest that, he tried to keep his faith till the end. 

The sun is barely rising when J’onn lands on the agent’s balcony, he hesitates for a while before stepping in. The apartment is deadly silent, not that he expects any sound. He scans the place quickly, looking for Alex’s body, and he finds it.

Tangled between the sheets, Alex is sound asleep with Maggie lying on her chest. Their limbs are entwined together and a certain bliss hangs in the air around them. They are radiating so much joy, not even the universe could bring them down.

A wave of relief and happiness rushes through J’onn as his lips crack into a wide smile, he can’t help but let a single tear run down his cheek. Alex, the daughter he never had, is still alive and it looks like he doesn’t have to say goodbye anytime soon. On top of it all, he’s glad she’s found love. The Martian takes his leave quietly, leaving through the way he came without waking either, because now he knows that there’ll be plenty of time to spend with Alex in the foreseeable future.

* * *

 

Kara escapes to the Fortress, to somewhere that doesn’t remind her of Alex. But really, who is she kidding? She can’t get Alex out of her mind even if she wanted to, but having some quiet time to herself deludes her into thinking that she can breathe for a bit. She doesn’t keep track of how long she spends at the Fortress, but she knows by the time she returned to National City, the sun had already risen considerably.

She avoids Alex’s apartment and the DEO like plague, heading straight home thinking that some blankets and icecream could heal her. J’onn appears in her apartment just moments after she lands and she doesn’t hesitate to chase him away.

“ I want to be alone, J’onn, I — “

“ _She’s alive, Kara_. “

Kara is stunned into silence, she tries to comprehend how, multiple theories come into mind but none of them seem to make any sense.

“ How? “ she manages to choke out after a prolonged silence, her heart beats wildly in her chest at the thought of Alex alive.

“ She found her soulmate. “ J’onn replies with a smile, but Kara is out of her apartment and is halfway to Alex’s already.

Kara doesn’t bother with the ruckus she makes as she steps into the quiet apartment, there’s so much going on in her head right now but all she wants is a confirmation that her sister is actually alive.

And there she is, _asleep in her goddamn bed with a half awake Maggie._

“ Morning, little Danvers, “ Maggie yawns with a sheepish smile, it only just occured to her that Alex never mentioned to anyone that she isn’t dead.

Kara lets out a series of inaudible sounds as she paces around the room, she can’t believe her sister would let her think she’s dead for one entire night. 

Alex slowly rouses from her slumber thanks to all the noise Kara is making, though a little grumpy, she feels slightly apologetic for not calling Kara the moment it was past midnight.

“ Morning, Kara, “ Alex greets with a tinge of guilt in her voice while sitting up in bed.

“ Morning? Morning? Is that all you can say? “ Kara raises her hands while continuing her outburst, “ I thought you were dead for the entire night, and you’re right here in your apartment, _sleeping in your bed?_ “

“ It slipped my mind, “ Alex bites her lower lip and offered a half shrug, “ I’m sorry for worrying you. “

“ I just can’t believe you couldn’t find any time, any time at all, to call me and say like ‘ _hey, it’s your sister, turns out I’m not dead!_ ’ “ Kara continues in an incredulous tone, still finding it hard to believe that Alex genuinely forgot to tell her she’s still alive.

Alex gets out of bed and pulls her sister in for a hug, “ Come on, you know I didn’t do it on purpose, you still love me right? “

Kara’s crinkle forms and she huffs while allowing Alex to hug her, “ Yes … but that doesn’t mean I forgive you, you too, Maggie. “

The detective raises her hands up in surrender, “ We’ll take you out for an apology dinner, whatever you want. “

Alex nods quickly, hoping to appease her sister as soon as possible.

“ Fine, fine, you guys win this time. “

“ We love you. “

“ On the other hand, “ Kara smiles while changing the subject, “ I’m really glad you guys found each other, you two are good for each other and I can see that. “

Alex tosses a quick glance at Maggie before beaming widely, “ Well, even the universe agrees. “

The alien scoffs quietly before turning her attention to Maggie, “ I’m trusting you to take care of my sister now, because I’m not afraid to throw people into space, I’m not saying anything, but I am saying something. “

Maggie breaks into a quiet chuckle while Alex gets all defensive, arguing that Kara can’t just fling her soulmate into space a day after she finds her. 

“ I know what I have to do, Kara, don’t worry. “ Maggie assures the Kryptonian with a smile.

“ Good, good, “ Kara nods seriously but then cracks into a smile seconds after, “ I’ll see you guys at work. “

“ Got it, “ the older Danvers nods, wanting her sister to take the hint and leave.

“ Remember to tell Eliza, she probably still thinks you’re dead — “

“ Yes Kara, I’ll remember. “

Kara flies off in a split second, leaving the two newly found soulmates in their own little world. Alex doesn’t waste any time pressing her lips against Maggie’s, pushing her back into her bed. She could definitely get used to this, Alex thinks quietly.

* * *

 

Eliza receives a call from Alex in the late afternoon, notifying her that her daughter is not only alive, but she’s also found her soulmate. The doctor is more than elated for Alex, and she’s already bombarding her daughter with questions about Maggie — when she’ll bring her home, whether they should have dinner, whether Maggie’s joining them for thanksgiving this year. It goes without saying that Eliza will love Maggie, almost as much as Alex does.

Winn thinks it’s going to be another regular day at the DEO, perhaps a slightly sadder one. Kara told him about Alex’s timer a while back and he avoided her for a while. Though he regrets it immensely now because he didn’t get a chance to tell Alex how much he appreciates her. 

So when Alex strolls into the DEO as if it’s a casual day, he gets the shock of his life and tackles her in a huge hug.

They eventually arrange dinner, so that everyone could properly meet Maggie. It goes without saying that everyone loves Maggie instantly, James and her strike up a quick deal about working together — a cop and a vigilante. Taking them to the dive bar, she finds out that Winn is a terrible pool player, Kara loves potstickers more than anything on Earth.

Alex watches them from a distance, grateful for everything that she has. Being with Maggie, being with her friends and family, she really couldn’t ask for more. Perhaps going through this entire ordeal just made her realise that life is fleeting, and she's got to hold on to everything she loves before they're gone for good.

* * *

 

_ “ Sawyer, you up for a case? “ _

_ “ With you? Always. “ _

_ “ Alright, enough with the flirting! They’re getting away! “ _

_ “ Easy, Danvers, I got it. “ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh boy!! this is the last chapter for real now!!  
> thanks to everyone who suggested/supported this  
> i'm on the train from osaka to tokyo right now and it's kinda a miracle that i got it out so fast  
> thank you for everyone who left comments, i'm not sure if i'll write more multichap fics but i have another sanvers one sitting in my drafts so that might come soon.  
> (that will defs be more well planned than this)
> 
> and again, feel free to hmu @ damnsawyer.tumblr.com


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